Tolentino: Senate panel report on alleged overpriced laptops will be released next year

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will issue its report on the alleged overpriced and slow laptops for public school teachers next year.

Senator Francis ‘’Tol’’ Tolentino said he was not able to issue the report yesterday because it lacked the signature of one senator.

He said senators were busy with hearings of Senate committees and of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).

Senators need time to study the 197-page committee report, including its recommendations, he explained.

Based on the rules of the Senate, 11 or more of the 20 committee members need to sign the committee report before it is submitted to the Senate floor.

Tolentino refused to give details of the report but stressed that they have recommended prosecution.

In their investigation, senators examined the transfer of P2.4 billion from the Department of Education (DepEd) to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) to buy the laptops.

Based on the report of the Commission on Audit (COA), the outdated laptops were overpriced and were also below technical specifications.

In the Senate committee hearing, it was found out that some of the laptops were distributed to non-teaching personnel such as nurses, lawyers, bookkeepers and dentists of DepEd. There were teachers who returned the laptops because they were slow.

The Senate is now on a Christmas recess.