Monday, August 13, 2007 Newks to Bing: Stop making me as ‘whipping boy’ By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
BACOLOD Representative Monico Puentevella asked Sunday Mayor Evelio Leonardia and some of the City Hall executives to stop making him the “whipping boy” of the present administration for the controversial new government center project.
The lawmaker’s statement was in reaction to the latest pronouncement of the some of the city officials accusing him as may be the one behind the delay on the release of P400 million loan from the Philippine National Bank (PNB) for the said project.
They’re barking at the wrong tree and City Legal Officer Allan Zamora is like an “old record”, Puentevella said.
Though, he said he’s no longer a stranger on the accusation of City Hall against him on the project.
“What’s new? They’re always using me as their excuse. But this time, I want them to stop making me as their whipping boy,” he said.
But he said if Leonardia, Zamora, among others want to ask for his help on the project, of course, he’s willing.
“Bing can call or text me anytime now,” he said, adding that what the Leonardia’s administration should do is simply to trace who the people it need to reconcile.
But if they continue on lambasting me, I think they’re only insulting people because the question on the project simply involves the processes in applying for loan, Puentevella said.
The City’s first application for P400 million was with Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
Such, however, was not materialized due to a civil case filed by the Kabalaka group headed by Ben Solilapsi in a local court in Bacolod.
The group questioned the price of the project, among others.
This, as Kabalaka wants to have a clearer inquiry or investigation with regards to the alleged overpricing on the project.
Later, the court dismissed the case.
But retired police chief, Victor Eduardo, filed a criminal case before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas against people involved in the alleged anomalous bidding of the project for the same contention - the project was overpriced.
The same complainant also filed another case at the Ombudsman-Visayas last month. This time against the mayor, BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) officials and the PNB officials, too.
Mayor Leonardia suspected that with the present case filed not only against them but also against some PNB officials, then it could be another reason for PNB management to withhold the City’s loan application.
The new government center project by Hilmarc’s Construction Corporation is reportedly 30 percent completed with initial payment of more than P80,000 from the City Government.
Situated along Circumferential Road in Villamonte, Bacolod, the project started last February this year and has a target date of completion within 18 months only.
