By Czarina Nicole Ong
Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" Favis Villafuerte Jr. of Camarines Sur's 2nd District has been charged anew before the Sandiganbayan in relation to the reportedly anomalous security service contracts entered into by the province.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte
(Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
In the charge sheet filed by graft investigation and prosecution officer Gian Carla Hernal, Villafuerte was accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act during his term as Camarines Sur governor.
He was charged alongside provincial accountant Leticia De Leon Aliorde, executive assistant Richard Fooshee Rivera, rural health physician Bernadette Galan Carlos, and medical officer Gerardo Nolasco Villafuerte.
From July 2008 up to December 2009, the said local officials were accused of conspiring with one another in giving Tigon Security Investigation and General Services Inc. (Tigon Security) unwarranted benefits and advantage.
Villafuerte, in his capacity as head of procuring agency, entered into security service contracts with Tigon Security and caused payments even though there was no public bidding conducted.
This was in violation of R.A. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, to the damage and prejudice of the government. No amounts for the security contracts were indicated in the charge sheet.
Their bail bond has been set at P30,000.