OVER PROCUREMENT TRANSPARENCY: CCWI files raps vs CamSur gov

By Paulo DS Papa

The Crime and Corruption Watch International (CCWI) on Thursday, May 14, filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte over alleged violations of procurement and transparency laws.

CCWI chairman Carlo Batalla, a former provincial board member, filed the complaint against Villafuerte along with Janis Ian Regaspi-Cleofe, chairperson of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), and Hernanie Morales, head of the Information Communications Archives and Records Management Office of the Camarines Sur provincial government.

Batalla alleged that procurement results and procurement plans were not visible on the official website of the provincial capitol under the Villafuerte administration, supposedly in violation of transparency and disclosure policies.

He said that as chairman of CCWI, it was his duty to investigate procurement activities of local government branches and agencies, contrary to claims that the organization was merely targeting the Villafuerte family, including Rinconada District Rep. Migz Villafuerte and 2nd District Rep. Luigi Villafuerte.

Batalla stressed that the complaint stemmed from what he described as “opaque governance” and alleged secrecy in the capitol’s procurement activities, which, he said, should be accessible to the public in compliance with the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s Full Disclosure Policy under Memorandum Circular No. 2010-83.

Records showed that on April 17 this year, CCWI sent a formal notice to the respondents directing them to comply with full disclosure and transparency requirements. Copies of the notice were also furnished to the DILG and the Office of the President three days later.

On April 30, Villafuerte reportedly replied by raising concerns over alleged extortion activities involving CCWI and questioned the group’s authority to enforce compliance, which Batalla said became part of the basis for the complaint.

As of press time, the provincial capitol had yet to issue an official statement regarding the complaint.