Palace asks Pamintuan to explain ‘irregular’ projects

ANGELES CITY -- Local radio anchorman Medardo David said the Office of President Benigno Aquino III has asked Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan for an explanation regarding the report of the City Project Monitoring Committee (CPMC) on the City Government’s alleged anomalous projects.

The letter from the Malacañang Legal Affairs Office, dated February 7, 2013, asked Pamintuan to provide necessary comments regarding the allegations.

The Palace sent the letter in response to David’s complaint against Pamintuan regarding the findings of the CPMC in its report dated July 31, 2012, which stated that certain infrastructure projects of the City Government are “overpriced, poorly planned and poorly constructed.”

The CPMC report said there is perceived overpricing in some projects of the City Government, such as the construction of the legislative building worth P12.80 million.

The CPMC report also observed that the utilization of the funds for the Pampang public market was poorly planned.

The funds should have been used for “more important repairs like leaking roof, clogged drainage and electrical wiring system,” the CPMC said.

The committee also cited poorly repaired eight public comfort rooms at Pampang public market where the City Government reportedly spent P600,000.

The CPMC includes various non-governmental organizations and was created by virtue of Executive Order 17A in order to serve as a checking mechanism regarding the projects implemented by the City Government.