Ex-PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa, 5 Others Arrested Over Rubber Boat Anomaly
Ex-PNP (Philippine National Police) Chief Jesus Verzosa along with 5 other comrades face 8 years jail term over rubber boat anomaly.
Former PNP head Jesus Verzosa and five others were sentenced to six to eight years in prison by the Sandiganbayan. This is in relation to a graft case filed against them in 2009 for procuring police rubber boats (PRBs) and outboard motors (OBMs) for P131.5 million.
Other PNP officers Benjamin Belarmino Jr., Jefferson Soriano, Luizo Ticman, Romeo Hilomen, and Villamor Bumanglag were also sentenced by the anti-graft court. They are also ineligible to occupy any government office.
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In the meantime, former Police Director Ronald Roderos, a member of the PNP National Headquarters (NHQ) -Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), was cleared of graft charges after the prosecution failed to prove his role in the scheme. Following his death, the case against BAC member and Police Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde was discontinued.
Even though the suppliers failed the eligibility standards, the PNP ordered 75 PBRs and 93 OBMs from EnviroAire Inc., Geneve SA Philippines, and Bay Industrial Philippines Corp. The aforementioned equipment also falls short of the National Police Commission’s requirements.
“The accused NHQ-BAC officials recommended the award of the supply contract to co-accused Verzosa, who approved the same. Hence, all the accused are responsible for the functional incompatibility of the PRBs and OBMs delivered,” the court said.
“Verzosa should have noticed the financial weakness of the suppliers and functional incompatibility of the PRBs and OBMs. Instead, he kept silent. His actions show manifest partiality towards the ineligible suppliers,”he added.
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