THIS one is for the books. The team probing the Negros First Animal Hub at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City has yet to submit their report on the controversy after almost two months of investigating it. Unless the people involved are uncooperative, there must be no other reason why the investigation is taking the team too long to conclude.
The probers do not need to interview everyone at the offices of the provincial veterinarian and the park administrator to ferret out the truth behind the project. The heads of these agencies can already shed light on the alleged irregularity in the construction of the edifice and the "short-cutting" of the process in the implementation of government projects. They need not look any further.
Definitely, the culprits are Capitol employees. Who would dare construct a building at the Panaad without the consent and approval of officials in charge of the project and the park?
Not even the richest contractor in the world would gamble in a multi-million project without any assurance that he or she will get paid. The animal hub has a P10 million budget.
According to lawyer Mary Ann Manayon-Lamis, assistant provincial legal officer, they have already prepared the final draft of the investigation report and they will submit it to Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. in the next few days.
She, however, clarified that the report is "confidential." The lady lawyer's remark was quite surprising. They investigated a government project involving public funds and yet, the result could not be divulged in public.
Once they have signed the report, it would become a public document and no law prohibits its release. It is part of the so-called public accountability, which is mandated in the Philippine Constitution and further strengthened by Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
The law provides that agencies and public enterprises who have been trusted with public resources must be answerable to the fiscal and social responsibilities assigned to them.
For as long as due process was observed by the probe team, especially in giving equal opportunity to all parties involved to defend themselves and present their sides on the issue, the people deserve to see the report since it is a matter of public interest. Keeping it from the public is contrary to the transparency program of President Rodrigo Duterte.
For as long as the report does not include classified intelligence information that may threaten national security, its confidentiality has no basis.