Barangay chiefs in Lapu want DPWH officials investigate

Thursday, February 2, 2012

BARANGAY officials in Lapu-Lapu City are urging the anti-graft office to not only investigate local officials, but also National Government officials in the lamppost controversy.

The Lapu-Lapu City Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), led by Pajo Barangay Captain Leo Mercado, adopted a resolution urging the Office of the Ombudsman to also investigate National Government officials, particularly those of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who were involved in the purchase of overpriced lampposts for 2007 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

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The Lapu-Lapu City ABC said the indictment of local officials in the controversy was “highly surprising” since the lampposts were bought upon the initiative of the DPWH.

In a May 2009 supplemental resolution, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas reiterated the need for an investigation regarding the participation of DPWH officials, particularly former DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane.

After his stint as DPWH chief ended, Ebdane ran for Zambales governor and won.

The anti-graft office’s supplemental resolution pointed out that despite the directive made by then Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierrez, the investigation on the lampposts remains unresolved.

Mercado said in a press conference yesterday that it is not fair that local officials got blamed for irregularities in the purchase of the lampposts as the project was initiated by the National Government.

In 2008, the ombudsman ordered 18 of the 24 officials involved in the purchase of the lampposts fired from government service for grave misconduct.

Among those ordered dismissed was former Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano, despite being no longer in office. The penalty against him is to be deemed implemented and “accordingly reflected in his record of public service.” (However, he won a seat in the Cebu Provincial Board in 2010.)

But the ombudsman spared Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza from dismissal. His reelection last May gave him immunity from administrative cases he might have committed during his previous term.

In a separate ruling, Gutierrez ordered the filing of criminal charges before the Sandiganbayan against 21 of the 24 original respondents, 12 of them from the DPWH 7, for violating the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.

Last year, local officials involved in the controversy were dismissed from service after the Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the ombudsman.

Radaza and Ouano were criminally charged.