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Rio de Janeiro faces charges as a result of the free internet scheme, according to a House subcommittee.

Former Department of Information and Communications (DICT) undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. faces criminal charges over alleged irregularities in the government’s Free Public Internet Access Program, according to a House of Representatives panel (FPIAP).

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability recommend that Rio be charged with violating Section 3 of Republic Act (RA) No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) regarding the implementation of the FPIAP, according to a report released to the media on Tuesday.

The DICT committed non-feasance, according to the panel, when it handed over administration and finances for the Pipol Konek Project, which is part of the government’s free internet initiative, to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The DICT-UNDP Pipol Konek Project failed to build the 6,000 sites at selected areas and provide free Wi-Fi internet access within the agreed-upon time frame, even after the deadlines were extended, according to the report.

“I am proud to report to our countrymen that after three hearings and nearly five months of deliberations and committee report preparation, we have recommended filing charges against former DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio for his negligence in entering into agreements with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and for poor project implementation failure to look out for the best interests of the Filipino people,” Committee Chairperson Michael Aglipay said.

The DICT committed misfeasance, according to the study, when it entered into a finance agreement with the UNDP for the project when it could have procured the project on its own, as it did with the other suppliers for the FPIAP implementation.

According to the panel, the project was delayed due to a lack of meticulous planning and ineffective coordination with concerned local government units, private suppliers, and service providers, as well as challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and issues encountered during validation of project target sites.

According to Aglipay, Filipinos need free, reliable internet, particularly for public school kids who learn at home.

“This initiative had a brilliant vision, but it was regrettably marred by incompetence, resulting in the suffering of our compatriots,” he remarked.

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