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COA to probe Silay City’s P1.1B projects, Land Bank stops releasing funds

• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

The Commission on Audit has been requested to probe the P1.1 billion mega infrastructure projects of the Silay City government, as the Land Bank of the Philippines has suspended the release of funds for the projects.

The House committee on Public Accounts is investigating the three mega projects of the administration of Mayor Joedith Gallego, which has secured P1.1 billion in funding from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

These include the repair and rehabilitation of the Silay City public market and construction of the Silay City College, with a budget of P300 million each, and the construction of the New Government Center worth P500 million.

During the resumption of the inquiry conducted by the House committee on Public Accounts, Abang Lingkod partylist Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano said that COA will submit its audit report, not later than March 31 this year.

Pending the investigation into the three mega projects, the Land Bank of the Philippines told members of the Committee that they suspended the release of more funds for the projects.

Land Bank has already released more than P367 million in funds to the three projects since last year. The investigations into the alleged irregularities, especially in the conduct of bidding of the P500 million new Silay government center, was also discussed during the inquiry.

With the suspension of the release of funds to all the projects,  Paduano, the designated caretaker of the 3rd district of Negros Occidental, said it is better not to proceed with the projects until such time the investigation is completed.

If I am Mayor Joedith, I will finish the elections first, as a sign of goodwill to the investigations, he added.

“If there are no more available funds, you will continue, for what purpose?” Paduano asked.

The solon denied allegations that they are opposing the projects, claiming that he is just doing his job, same with other local government units in the country.

Paduano also noted violations in the rehabilitation of the public market, being considered a heritage site, as they asked the National Historical Commission to confirm if it is indeed part of the cultural heritage site.

But you did not ask for clearance that you can demolish, or develop a more than 50 year old structure. Then the date you asked for it (clearance) was on August 8 last year, yet the project already started in March of the same year, he stressed.

It’s putting the cart before the horse, Paduano said.

You can’t correct a wrong doing with another wrongdoing, the solon further stressed.*

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