MANILA — Lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Wednesday said the purchase of a PHP5.1-million luxurious Toyota Land Cruiser 2017 for Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno using public funds could be a violation of the government procurement law.
This comes after SC Procurement Head Carina Cunanan admitted during the impeachment hearing against Sereno that the purchase of the luxurious vehicle was already pre-determined by the top magistrate’s office.
“It was already predetermined, your honor (referring to House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas),” Cunanan said.
Fariñas said citing the brand in a bidding process was prohibited under the law.
“When you procure, do not name a brand so that it will be fair to everyone… You should specify the details but not the brand,” Fariñas said.
Lawyer Thelma Bahia, head of the SC Bids and Awards Committee, said that in posting the procurement of the vehicle, they did not specify the brand but simply stated the specification even though there was already an endorsement to get a Land Cruiser.
“Although there was an endorsement (from Sereno’s office)… But, when we posted the procurement we did not specify the brand” Bahia said.
Fariñas, however, was not convinced, saying “that’s how you skirt the law.”
ABS Partylist Rep. Eugene Michael de Vera said branding violates the procurement law, and thus could be linked to graft and corruption.
Complainant lawyer Larry Gadon accused Sereno of corruption for using public funds in the purchase of a luxurious vehicle for official use amounting to more than PHP5 million pesos.
Sereno’s spokesperson Jojo Lacanilao, in a separate statement, said the procurement was “above board and not a capricious decision of the Chief Justice.”
Lacanilao said the SC en banc itself approved the acquisition of the Land Cruiser.
He also said the Chief Justice did not ask to be exempted from the prohibition against the acquisition and use of security vehicles by government officials, as she was already exempted by virtue of her position.
Lacanilao cited a budget circular allowing the Chief Justice the purchase of a service vehicle “for security reasons”. The President, Vice President, Senate President, and House Speaker are also covered by such exemption.
“The Land Cruiser was purchased to ensure the safety and security of the Chief Justice. Because of threats to her personal security, she had no choice but to acquire a vehicle that could be bulletproofed. It cannot be denied that judges, lawyers, and prosecutors have been assassinated,” he said.
“For years, the Chief Justice did not ask for a new service vehicle. This was the first time the Chief Justice had ever requested for a vehicle since she was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2010. She had always used vehicles “inherited” from other Justices or court employees,” he added.
Sereno’s camp further said that based on SC records, new vehicles had already been purchased for eight other justices at the time of the procurement of the Land Cruiser.
Meanwhile. two new vehicles for two more justices are currently being procured.