The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability has recommended the filing of graft charges against former Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Pipol Konek Project in 2018.
Chaired by DIWA Partylist Rep. Michael Aglipay, the House panel also recommended appropriate charges filed against public officials and private entities or individuals involved in the reported undervaluation of imported IT equipment for the free internet project implemented by DICT and the United Nations Development Program.
Rio, Aglipay said, was a signatory of the DICT-UNDP Financing Agreement or the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement (SBAA), which the House panel said was “not the best option” available to government in implementing the P1.3 billion Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP) of the DICT.
The financing agreement was reached by DICT and UNDP to immediately roll out free wi-fi sites in various areas in the country as called for by the Pipol Konek Project.
But the DICT was never a party in the bidding and the selection by the UNDP of suppliers and service providers which contracts were awarded to Speedcast of Australia for the first two phases and the PLDT INc. for the third phase.
The committee said the SBAA “is permissive that the DICT is not obliged to seek UNDP assistance to conduct the procurement for the FPIAP.”
The House panel stated that under the Free INternet Access in Public Places Act, the DICT was tasked to undertake the “creation, establishment, installation, maintenance, and operation of infrastructure, equipment, systems, platforms, applications and such other FPIAP requirements necessary to effectively provide free internet access in public spaces throughout the country.” Meanwhile, Speedcast filed for bankruptcy which is one of the reasons why the project was delayed.
The House inquiry was initiated upon the filing of House Resolution No. 1751 that was filed by Reps. Gil Acosta Jr., Angelo Marcos Barba, Hector Sanchez and Aglipay, among other lawmakers.
The lawmakers noted that Commission on Audit report flagged down the financing terms for the project as it granted the UNDP full control over the project instead to the DICT that is supposed the implementor.
“Stated in the COA report, the ownership, equipment, supplies and other property financed from the contribution to the project shall verst in UNDP. Thus, the entire infrastructure of the project will become part of UNDP’s assets,” the solons said.
Reacting to the COA report, Rio said the audit agency was clearly “satisfied” with his explanation as to the questioned transfer of funds to the UNDP.
Aglipay said the House panel was “able to pressure the UNDP” with the help of the new administration in DICT “to return the funds paid to it.”