Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Review expenses, militants’ bloc asks ombudsman
MILITANT groups have joined the call for an anti-graft investigation on the alleged anomalies surrounding the procurement of surveillance cameras and decorative lampposts for the Asean summit.
In a letter to Ombudsman Director Virginia Palanca-Santiago yesterday, the group expressed “alarm” over the procurement and asked that the Department of Public Works (DPWH) make public the documents on the purchases.
“In the spirit of transparency and accountability, may we ask your good office to compel various government offices and agencies to make public the actual spending, contracts and documents related to (the) procurement,” they said.
The anti-graft office is already looking into the issue.
The inquiry stemmed from a series of letter-complaints filed by businessman Crisologo Saavedra, representing the Triton and Pelican Bay joint venture.
He said his consortium won the bidding for the surveillance camera but the contract went to another bidder that was disqualified during the pre-qualification stage.
He alleged that this was because he refused to give in when an official of the DPWH asked for P15 million. The DPWH has denied this allegation.
Jaime Paglinawan, representing the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Central Visayas, and Ramie Inopiquez of the Panaghugpong sa Kabus sa Dakbayan (Kadamay) jointly signed the letter.
Nick Abasolo of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Victor Lapaz of the Panaghiusa sa mga Gagmay’ng Mangingisda sa Sugbo and Winnie Badayos of the Alyansa sa Mamumuo sa Sugbo also joined in.
“The amount spent by our local and national government leaders is enough to spend for housing, medicine, classrooms and other immediate and long-term socio-economic needs,” they added.
On the surveillance equipment, the group questioned how DPWH Director Roberto Lala could disburse P62 million of taxpayers’ money “for a questionable transaction.”
On the lampposts, the groups questioned the project cost of P95,000 per post. “We believe that the actual cost per post of the decorative lamps is much lower,” they said. (KNR)
