• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Where’s the P180 million?
That was the question asked by Santa Rosa City Representative Dan Fernandez, regarding the construction of the P500 million Silay City Government Center, during a congressional inquiry conducted by the Committee on Public Accounts at the House of Representatives yesterday.
Based on the revelations of resource speakers, Fernandez said the Silay Government Center bidding amount was P499,950,977.80. However, the documents submitted by the winning bidder, Silver Dragon Construction and Lumber, and Glass Supply Inc., stated that the total estimated project cost was P316.9 million.
Architect Geovannie Guzon, the City Planning Development Officer, admitted that he overlooked that portion of computation, and he will consult the one who computed the amount in his office.
It was a mistake on our part, Guzon said.
“I know the project was P500 million, then I will sign the P316 million. Mag-iisip na ako (I will start thinking). Why is this,” Fernandez said.
When asked by Fernandez, Mayor Joedith Gallego claimed he was not aware of the discrepancy. He, however, said he will order a recomputation.
Fernandez raised his concerns that the materials used might be substandard, as the budget has been reduced.
The New Government Center of Silay City in Negros Occidental, which has yet to secure a building permit, has been issued with a Notice of Violation by the OBO.
Engr. Elmer Kent Torres, City Building Official, disclosed that the project had started two months ago without a building permit.
Based on the testimonies of resource persons, Abang Lingkod party list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano said “it is very clear that there were certain violations in the process.”
Paduano, who relinquished presiding over the congressional inquiry to Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, said the outcome of the hearing is not yet conclusive, with hearings more to be conducted.
He also noted contradictions in the statements of Mayor Gallego and his City Legal Office head, Atty. Janus Jarder.
Gallego claimed that the processing of loans with the Development Bank of the Philippines is very slow, which prompted them to pursue loans with Land Bank.
However, Jarder, when asked, said that DBP tried to match the interest rates of the Land Bank.
Paduano said he is puzzled by the DBP decision to withdraw from granting a loan to the Silay City government.*
