Ex-DepEd chief Briones faces graft, falsification raps over laptops

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft and falsification charges against former education secretary Leonor Briones and several other former officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) in connection with the purchase of P2.4 billion worth of allegedly overpriced and outdated laptops in 2021.

- Elizabeth Marcelo Bella Cariaso

In a 106-page resolution dated Dec. 2, 2024 but released to the media only yesterday, the ombudsman found probable cause to file a case for violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Briones and six other former DepEd officials — former undersecretaries Annalyn Sevilla and Alain Pascua, former assistant secretary Salvador Malana III, former DepEd directors Abram Abanil and Marcelo Bragado and former executive assistant Alec Ladanga.