Monday, March 31, 2008 Mayor rues effects of raps on investment By Gil Alfredo B. Severino
SILAY City Mayor Jose 'Oti' Montelibano belittled the charges filed by two of his former allies before the Office of the Ombudsman but lamented the city could lose potential investors.
"Whom are they putting down? Seeing these charges in the news, Silay City could lose potential investors, depriving Silaynons and Negrenses job opportunities at this time when it is needed most," he stressed in reaction to the criminal charges lodged against him and several other officials with regard the P18 million automation and modernization of Silay's major revenue operation.
"Nevertheless, I welcome these formal charges because I have the chance to formally answer them," Montelibano said. "After all, this is a free country where anyone can file charges at will. Now, the truth of the charges is for the Ombudsman to decide."
"(But) what saddens me is the effect of these charges against Silay. What if an investor backs off? Who is affected? They can bomb and charge me but hopefully the employment opportunities will not be hampered," he added.
Citing Republic Act (RA) 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act and RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices, Jose Lindy Chan and Jojo Sumiller alleged that the transaction was a form of "conspiracy" between 27 government workers and Engineer Julieta Cunanan, president of the Systems and Plan Integrator Development Corporation (SPIDC).
The two said the transaction did not pass through proper bidding and procurement process as stipulated in RA 9184, thus prompting them to file charges of grave misconduct and dishonesty as stipulated in RA 3019.
In their complaints before the Ombudsman, Chan and Sumiller also filed charges against Vice Mayor Mark Golez, Councilors Jose Raymundo Locsin, Michael Maravilla, Mario Torres, Ramon Jison, Warlito Go and Salvador Segovia; Association of Barangay Captains representative Joedith Gallego, Sangguniang Kabataan representative April Grace de los Reyes, City Administrator Ignacio Salmingo, City Treasurer Elsie Jimenea, City OIC Accountant Emmanuel Arsenal, City Legal Officer Kara Aimee Quevenco-Bids and Awards Committee chairperson; Pepito Hechanova Jr., Alma de la Cruz, Sonia Cordero and Ricardo Ledesma-BAC members; and Rene Pahilanga, Giovanni Guzon, Jake Oppus, Arnie Trajera, Jose Genaro Estrañero, Macarse Tionko, Armin Paredes, Alore Golez, Wilma Dooma, and Cunanan of SPCDI.
The complaint also cited some date fixing, unnumbered job orders, undated and undetailed program of works worth P18-million, which reportedly is not prepared by an information and communication technology (ICT) specialist and highly irregular as per bidding and procurement laws.
