Sophia Buenavidez

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of criminal charges against former Education Secretary Leonor Briones and 13 others over the allegedly overpriced 2.4-billion peso laptop procurement during the pandemic.

Photos Courtesy of ABS-CBN News/Presidential Communications Office/Department of Education.

Former Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lao and several DepEd undersecretaries and Procurement Service-DBM officers were among the names noted in this case.

Only 39,583 laptops were procured instead of the intended 68,500, significantly reducing distribution to teachers.

The Commission on Audit previously flagged the laptops as “pricey,” costing Php 58,300 each, far above the originally planned unit cost of Php 35,046.

Based on discrepancies in bidding, pricing, and official documentation, the Ombudsman found probable cause for graft, falsification, and perjury charges. 

According to the Ombudsman, the officials were said to have manipulated procurement documents, including falsifying the date on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DepEd and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) to cover up the deal’s irregularities.

Three of the charged officials are also facing perjury charges, accused of lying under oath, denying their knowledge or involvement in the procurement decisions during Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings held in late 2022 and early 2023.

“We are committed to transparency and accountability, and we will fully cooperate with all legal proceedings,” the Department of Education said in a statement on July 12.

The same statement reaffirmed that the officials now facing charges no longer hold any position within DepEd.

The case is now headed to the Sandiganbayan, where the trial will take place.