Wednesday, May 07, 2008 Guv: Bidding to go on amid controversy
GOVERNOR Isidro Zayco said bidding for three major items on the site development project for the proposed new provincial jail in Tabuanan, Bago City will go on despite the recent controversy on alleged premature works in the site by one of the bidders.
"If I won't pursue the bidding, people might suspect that there might be something fishy. So I told the Provincial Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC) to go on with the bidding of the three items -- delivery of dakal-dakal (sand and gravel), labor and rental of equipment, in the development of this 3-hectare site for new provincial jail," Zayco told Sun.Star Bacolod.
But Zayco warned: "In case R.A. Construction will win the bidding, I won't approve it."
R.A. Construction, owned by Frankie Uy, was reportedly seen doing premature works within the site.
Sun.Star Bacolod tried, but failed to contact Uy for comment as of Tuesday.
Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan, however, clarified that R.A. Construction only did voluntary excavation works in the area intended for an agri-demo farm of the province but not within the site of the proposed new provincial jail.
Tabianan added excavation works done by R.A. Construction, through its backhoe, was for the put up of a huge fishpond within the 26-hectare provincial agri-demo farm for its tilapia dispersal program.
"Actually, we made the request from the Provincial Engineers Office (PEO) regarding our plan to make a fishpond in the area. But since almost all the heavy equipment of the province were lent to some towns and cities, the PEO referred us to R.A Construction," said Tabianan.
It also happened that R.A. Construction has a project on irrigation system just beside the area.
"So, we took the opportunity but for sure, the province has not paid R.A. Construction for that works," the provincial agriculturist asserted.
But Zayco said "if R.A. Construction wins the bidding later, it would be a 'big' issue that might question our credibility."
The present brouhaha is the second controversy for Zayco since he took over the post from the late Governor Joseph Marañon last March 17. The first was the purchase of luxury vehicles of the Provincial Board members. (Erwin Ambo Delilan)
