Wednesday, September 27, 2006 House committees probe Bukidnon infra projects
THE House committees on public works and good government are scheduled to resume Wednesday its inquiry on the alleged anomalies in the Bukidnon provincial Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engineering District III.
The committee on public works, chaired by Representative Generoso Tulagan, and the committee on good government, chaired by Representative Arthur Defensor, conducted a hearing last September 13 following a privilege speech by Bukidnon First District Representative JR Nereus Acosta.
In his speech, Acosta cited the alleged irregularities within the said engineering district.
Acosta said several infrastructure projects from his 2004-2005 allocations channeled directly to the DPWH district office received "many complaints from several sectors" because of alleged poor implementation or uncompleted status.
The legislator also said there are anomalies on alleged payroll padding, non-delivery of materials to project sites despite full payment and non-payment of salaries to laborers.
Acosta said he formally requested the engineering office to provide a full accomplishment report of all the projects funded by congressional allocations and at the national infrastructure allocations for Bukidnon's first district.
No formal reply was ever furnished to his office, prompting Acosta to raise the matter in Congress.
Disenchantment
The engineering district is headed by Engineer Lota Gamboa, who failed to appear before the panel.
Gamboa was reportedly confined in a still unnamed hospital at that time.
The committee chairmen have ordered for a copy of her medical certificate, according to sources.
Present during the hearing were DPWH Regional Director Sinaolan Macarambon and district construction section head Engineer Roger Balboa.
Acosta's speech also revealed that the development was "causing a great deal of disenchantment and resentment within the rank and file staff as well as in the areas where projects have been poorly implemented, if not largely uncompleted."
These, he said, "despite official accomplishment reports that allegedly have also been fudged or manipulated by particular parties within the engineering district."
Acosta didn't name such parties in his speech.
Acosta however admitted that it may have also been an oversight on the part of his office that the accomplishment reports were not validated earlier on. "But I suppose it is better late than never," he said.
He said the matter has "grave implications on legislation, monitoring and enforcement of laws with regard to infrastructural and economic development."
"Because if we cannot have these for our district or if these are being compromised and this whole thrust is compromised because of administrative corruption or allegations of anomalous transactions, than overall social delivery becomes problematic," Acosta said.
Another committee hearing is set for September 27, 2006 in Congress.
Sources say that Gamboa has filed for early retirement, but the processing has been placed on hold due to the investigations.
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