Mayor takes responsibility for jail poisoning

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

CITY Mayor Sara Duterte said she is taking "full responsibility" of the food poisoning incident, which downed 798 inmates and eight jail personnel, last week at the Davao City Jail in Ma-a.

"Instead of pointing a finger to one person, I am taking responsibility. Our office was at fault. A lot of us made a mistake," Duterte said.

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The mayor said this in response to queries on the involvement of Mikey Aportadera in the incident, whom the mayor said is a consultant to the City Mayor's Office.

Aportadera was reportedly the City Government personnel who monitored Pasko Fiesta sa City Jail.

The mayor said Aportadera should not be blamed because the health investigation showed that the food poisoning happened because the food packs were consumed during the night when it was fit for eating during lunch.

"The report from the City Health Office showed that it really was the time consumption. The situation cannot be controlled by one person," the mayor said.

Consummated contract

Duterte also explained the transaction on the food packs to the City Jail is allowed by law as this was under "consummated contract."

General Services Office chief Jessie Marvin Melodias on December 17 said "no transaction of food packs for Pasko Fiesta sa City Jail went through the GSO."

The mayor said under a consummated contract the supplier agrees that they will not be paid unless they are able to provide satisfactory service.

"It was under a consummated contract, it is allowed. A consummated contract means we got the food, we consumed the food, and only after that the caterer can give us the billing. On that case it was under a consummated contract but after what happened I instructed my Chief-of-Staff not to pay the caterer unless the Health Officer of the City Jail says that all those (affected by food poisoning) are cleared," she said in vernacular.

She also dismissed rumors regarding the food packs delivered to the visiting lumads in the city.

"Wala pay report nga nagabot sa akoa ana nga problem. With regard sa food pack sa lumad, lahi pud na siya nga office. That is under the CSSDO (No report has reached my office regarding that. The food packs distributed to visiting lumads to the city is under a different office. That's under the City Social Services and Development Officer)," the mayor said.

Alleged corruption

Allegations have been spreading that the purchase of food packs given daily to visiting lumads is laced with corruption. That instead of the reported P70 worth for each food pack, the actual worth of food is only P35 while the remaining P35 is distributed among barangay captains and government officials.

The city presently houses thousands of lumads from far-flung areas and neighboring provinces who are here for the Yuletide season in hope of receiving alms or gifts from the residents.

In order to solve the sudden influx of population in the city, the local government provided 10 public gymnasiums that can accommodate 500 families. Food packs are delivered to them daily. (JCZ)