Ibinasura ng Sandiganbayan Second Division ang kasong graft laban kay dating Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president Winston Garcia kaugnay sa dimano’y maanomalyang multi-million contract ng eCard project noong 2004, dahil inabot ng 10 taon bago magsampa ng kaso ang Office of the Ombudsman.

Kasamang inakusahan ni Garcia sina Enriqueta Disuanco, Vice President; Benjamin Vivas, Jr., Senior Vice President; Hermogenes Concepcion, Jr., Board of Trustees-Chairman; Elmer Bautista, Board of Trustees-Member; Fulgencio Factoran, Board of Trustees-Member; Floriño Ibañez, Board of Trustees-Member; Aida Nocete, Board of Trustees-Member; Reynaldo Palmiery, Board of Trustees-Member; Ellenita Tumala-Martinez, Board of Trustees-Member; at Leonora Vasquez-De Jesus, Board of Trustees-Member.

Sa 15-pahinang resolusyon na inilabas sa media, pinagbigyan ng Second Division ang judicial determination of probable cause na inihain ni Garcia at ibinasura ang kaso laban sa dito “for violation of the Constitutional precept on speedy disposition of cases and for want of probable cause.”

“By way of peroration, the Court rules that on the ground of violation of speedy disposition of the case, this case out to be dismissed outright,” nakasaad sa resolusyon na pinonente ni Chairperson Teresita Diaz-Baldos at inayunan nina Associate Justice Napoleon Inoturan at Michael Musngi.

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Sa record ng kaso, pumasok sa kontrata ang GSIS sa Union Bank of the Philippines (UBP) bilang depository bank para sa eCard system, na gagamitin sa loan at benefit transactions ng mga miyembro nito.

“The information stated that GSIS awarded the eCard project to UBP without complying with the requirements/procedures set forth under Section 49 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184, despite the fact that the closing date for submission of bid proposals has not been closed and prior to the recommendation of the Committee tasked to evaluate the proposals,” pahayag ng korte.

Gayunman, ipinaliwanag ng Commission on Audit (CoA) sa annual audit report nito noong 2014 na hindi dumaan sa regular bidding process ang kontrata.

Binuksan ang proyekto kahit sa mga pribadong bangko noong Enero 2004.

Kinuwestiyon din ng CoA ang paggawad ng kontrata sa UBP, tatlong araw pagkatapos na magsumite ito ng proposal noong Mayo 2004. (Rommel P. Tabbad)