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Friday, June 23, 2006
Solid Gold: 'We're into clean business'
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan, Jessie Rey D. Agita and Roberto L. Bacasong
MEMBERS of the Gayatin Family, owner of the Solid Gold Construction Company, was shocked and irked when their establishment was linked to the recent irregularities committed at the City Engineer's Office.
One of them was interviewed by Sun.Star Bacolod Thursday on condition of anonymity said their family is doing legal trade.
"We're into clean business. That's why we asked the City Government and Mayor Evelio Leonardia to comprehensively probe the mess and stop dragging the name of their establishment on this issue," he said.
The Gayatins stressed that for two years now they have not been accepting any business transaction with the City Government and that the warehouse where the 200 bags of cement were reportedly brought has been left empty for a long time.
This as the City Council also braces for the conduct of a separate inquiry on the issue.
Councilor Elmer Sy, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, will lead the probe.
Sy wondered why the vehicle of the CEO made it inside a private property without a justifiable transaction.
"There might be someone who instructed the two CEO drivers on what to do and where to deliver the items," he added.
Some 200 bags of cement, which were meant for bridge and road project at Barangay Singcang-Airport, were earlier reported to have been delivered at a private warehouse in Barangay Mansilingan.
This was denied though by Project Engineer Julio Belleza, who claimed in an explanation letter that the truck containing the 200 sacks of cement was only at the warehouse to pick up some white tiles.
Belleza added that the stockpile was also set in order while inside the warehouse as the cement bags may fall during transport.
For his part, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Pedro Merced said as far as their investigation is concerned, Solid Gold has nothing to do with the issue now.
This as he clarified that the actual recovery of the missing items was at the Iribio Compound in Mansilingan that was also being leased by the City Government for cement mixing.
The name of Solid Gold, added Merced only cropped up when the witness tipped Mayor Leonardia that he saw the cement-loaded CEO truck enter the bodega of Solid Gold along the Circumferential Road at Bangga Cory, Mansilingan sometime last week.
This, however, needs to be proved, Merced said.
The bags of cement were to be used for the footbridge project in Magsungay and the road widening in Araneta-Magsaysay St. going to Calong-Calong in Barangay Airport, which were funded under AIP in year 2003 and 2005, respectively.
City Legal Officer Allan Zamora tasked his assistant lawyer Gleceria Caduhada to conduct an investigation on the issue.
Subject to the on-going investigation are City Engineer Loreto Dilag, Engineer III Julio Belleza, Engineer II Ruben Tad-y, Engineer Joel Locsin, CEO drivers Mariano Navarro and Renato Inion and Supply Officer Nestor Talagon.
As of press time Thursday, only Belleza has submitted his written explanation on the issue.
He said it was the CEO Construction Group, which asked for the delivery of 200 bags to the Erillo Compound at Hillside Subdivision, Mansilingan for the preparation of the ready-mix concentrate of the beam, slab, footing for the footbridge.
Caduhada, however, has not yet set a definite deadline for the submission of the written explanations of the people involved in the issue.
For her part, Councilor Ann Marie Palermo, chairman of the committee on laws, said that the city council will be looking for the programs of works for the two projects.
"We want to know why these projects were only started this year," she added.
On the other hand, Sy and Palermo said they will also invite people concerned on the issue so to clear matters once and for all.
(June 23, 2006 issue)
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