Briones speaks up on controversial overpriced laptop purchase

 Former Education Secretary Leonor Briones made a statement on the alleged overpriced laptop procurement during her term.

 Briones said that she was made aware on the issue during her term as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd). 

COA said that DepEd bought over 39,000 “pricey” laptops for P58,300 each.

Briones defended that “neither I nor the Department of Education had any hand in the procurement process.”

“It was the DBM-PS that directly had full control over the procurement, including pricing and item specifications,” Briones said.

Briones added that the only involvement she had was as a signatory in the Memorandum of Agreement between the DBM-PS and the DepEd where the DBM-PS was the “sole procuring entity in an end-to-end capacity.”

“DepEd was only the end-user, and had no hand in the canvassing, bidding, and actual procurement whatsoever,” Briones said

“To those posting online unjustly implicating me in any way with anomalies, I say this: Hindi ako nagtatago at hindi ako kailangan hanapin. Kung may sasabihin kayo na ako ay korap, maling- mali kayo diyan,” she added.

Briones is also “coordinating with my lawyers should I decide to take legal action.”

 “I will be vindicated of any wrongdoing,” she said.