COA grills Passi hospital for dubious P1.3-M sterilizer deal

By Erwin Cabarles

THE Commission on Audit (COA) is investigating alleged anomalous procurement of a hospital equipment by the Don Valerio Palmares Memorial Hospital in Passi City.

The hospital, through the General Services Office (GSO) of the province, purchased an autoclave sterilizer machine for P1.3 million from Pacific Trade House.

State auditors looking into the transaction found out that only two bidders participated in the bidding, Pacific Trade House and CDC Pharmacy, but both firms are owned by a single person -- Mercedez Sibug.

COA also found out that the equipment was overpriced and locally fabricated.

The report showed that such equipment would only cost less than a million pesos.

The COA report stated that it has gathered information that the brand-new equipment experienced a malfunction.

However, the hospital’s management responded that the malfunction was caused by negligence and not because of factory defect whatsoever. It further stated that the said equipment has undergone a repair and has worked well thereon.

It did not however satisfy the audit team, which pushes for further inquiries to find the truth behind the said “anomaly.”