GINGOOG City ― A resident here has filed graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao against City Mayor Erick G. Cañosa and two others over an alleged overpriced medicine deal in 2020.
In an interview, Marzita M. Arango accused Cañosa; Guido Guanzon, head General Service Office, and Dr. Grace J. Jadol, city health officer of the alleged conspiracy, willful, felonious, and unlaw disbursing the P4,995,582-million overpriced purchase of incompletely delivered drugs and medicines.
These, Arango said, were not in accordance with the specification contained in the approved purchase orders.
She filed the graft charges against the three in February, this year.
In a phone interview, Cañosa said he has not received any notice from the Ombudsman.
Arango said the procurement of the alleged P4,995,582-million deal was split into two Purchase Orders ― PO No. 40-20-04-044 and PO No. 40-20-04-043 with the corresponding amounts of P2,497,763 and P2,497,819, respectively.
The two POs with a total P4,995,582 price tag are considered high compared to an estimated total value of medicines based on the prevailing drugs price list in 2020 of only P2,198,569.76. It registers a difference of 70% to 80 % or P2,797,012.
“Kung ang syudad misunod lang sa presyo base sa 2020 drug price list mogasto lamang kini sa P2,198,569.76,” Arango claimed.
Recently, Arango received a letter from the Office of the Ombudsman-Mindanao informing her that her complaint assigned with reference number IC -OM 22-0190 has already been forwarded to the Ombudsman Central Office for evaluation and verification.
Arango also accused Cañosa of alleged illegal disbursement and spent P809,88.90 for five employees whose appointments have already been invalidated by Civil Service Commission in 2019.
She then filed charges against the mayor for hiring 1,005 job orders without filling up vacant positions first.
Arango said she would file more graft charges against the mayor soon.