FOLLOWING an investigation into the ₱2.4 billion procurement of allegedly substandard laptops for public school teachers in 2021, the Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft and falsification charges against former Education secretary Leonor Briones and numerous other Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) officials.
The July 4th resolution details charges against former DBM chief Lloyd Christopher Lao, and several other DepEd and DBM officials for graft and falsification of public documents.
Furthermore, perjury charges have been filed against Lao, DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Macam Sevilla, and PS-DBM Director IV and officer-in-charge Jasonmer Lagarto Uayan, while similar charges against other individuals were dismissed.
The Ombudsman’s action stems from allegations of irregularities in the procurement process, raising concerns about both the quality of the laptops and adherence to procurement laws and regulations.
Briones, in a text message to reporters, stated she is consulting with her lawyer. Attempts to reach Lao for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication. The case is expected to proceed through the courts.
