BI chief faces more raps over biometrics project
By
Edu Punay (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 7, 2013 -
12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - A second graft
complaint was filed against Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Ricardo
David Tuesday in connection with the alleged anomalies in a P50-million
biometric system project.
David, who is under the supervision
of the Department of Justice (DOJ), was charged before the Office of the
Ombudsman with violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices
Act), RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and
Employees), RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) and Executive Order 292
(Administrative Code) for pursuing a project that is allegedly disadvantageous
to the government.
Advocacy group Anti-Trapo Movement
of the Philippines Inc., represented by founding chairperson Leon Peralta, also
named in its complaint David’s head executive assistant, Grace Lara; Dino
Vizconde, acting chief of BI’s information and communications technology
division; and members of the bids and awards committee.
Peralta alleged that the project
would waste government funds because the P50 million allotted to it would
produce only a daily time record type of biometrics when the BI needs a border
control and management system comparable to the Automated Fingerprint
Identification System, acquired by the National Bureau of Investigation and the
Philippine National Police for nearly P1 billion.
Peralta’s complaint is the second
graft case filed against David within two months.
The advocacy group PRO-PIA
(Philippine Immigration Advocates), composed mainly of BI employees and some
private entities, alleged that the project was haphazardly offered without a
thorough technical study and evaluation.
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