Pagadian News Update
Aurora Enerio-Cerilles has been placed under a 60-day preventive suspension over an alleged overpriced medical supplies purchase worth P7 million back in 2001.

Zamboanga Del Sur 2nd District Rep. Aurora Enerio-Cerilles has been placed under a 60-day preventive suspension over an alleged overpriced medical supplies purchase worth P7 million back in 2001.

The Sandiganbayan issued the suspension order based on the recommendation of the Office of the Ombudsman, which charged Cerilles with graft in 2012.

Cerilles was then the governor when she allegedly approved the purchase of at least P6.879 million worth of hospital supplies, such as green scrub suits, flat sheets, draw sheets, and abdominal bandages, from exclusive distributor U-Net, in violation of the rules.

The Commission on Audit (COA) ruled that public officials are only allowed to purchase items from exclusive distributors if there are no subdealers selling items at lower prices or there are no cheaper substitute items.

The provincial government could have saved P1.2 million if the purchases were made from another supplier in a public bidding, the Ombudsman claimed.

In a GMA News report, Cerilles pointed out that the case has already been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan 3rd Division on March 13, 2014.

“Nasorpresa lang ako kasi honestly, all of a sudden, kung suspension man ito, itinaon ngayon na malapit na ang eleksyon,” the re-electionist lawmaker was quoted as saying.

Cerilles went on to say that she may file charges against the Office of the Ombudsman’s Public Information and Media Relations Bureau as well as the news outfits that published the Ombudsman’s press release without getting her side.