MANILA (July 11) – The Office of the Ombudsman has directed the filing of criminal charges against former Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones and 13 others in connection with the controversial PHP2.4-billion laptop procurement for public school teachers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
In a 106-page resolution dated July 4, the Ombudsman found probable cause to charge the involved individuals with violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019), as well as falsification and perjury.
Among those named alongside Briones are DepEd officials Annalyn Sevilla, Alain Pascua, Salvador Malana III, Abram Abanil, Marcelo Bragado, Alex Ladanga, and Selwyn Briones. From the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), officials Lloyd Christopher Lao, Jasonmer Uayan, Ulysses Mora, Marwan Amil, and Paul Estrada were also included.
Froilan Demongo, a representative of the joint venture composed of Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc., and VST ECS Phils. Inc., was also listed as a respondent in the case.
The charges stem from the 2022 Commission on Audit (COA) report that flagged the purchase of 39,000 laptops, each priced at PHP58,300, as “outdated and overpriced.” The laptops were intended for distribution to public school teachers to support distance learning during the pandemic.
During a 2022 Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry, DepEd and PS-DBM officials defended the procurement, claiming that global shortages in electronic chips and the surge in demand due to work-from-home arrangements contributed to the increased cost.
Despite these explanations, the Ombudsman ruled that there is enough basis to proceed with legal action, citing irregularities in the procurement process and potential overpricing. The case now moves forward for formal filing in court.
