Tuesday, August 07, 2007 New deputy ombud seen to hasten probe
THE appointment of Deputy Ombudsman-Visayas Pelagio Apostol is expected to speed up the investigation on the supposed anomalies in the construction of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), a businessman said.
Crisologo Saavedra, in an interview yesterday, said reports that the Commission on Audit (COA) has released an audit report detailing how only two of the many components of the construction went into public bidding “gives a clue” as to how the investigation will end.
Honest
“He (Apostol) is an honest guy,” Saavedra said, adding that evidence obtained will speak for itself.
The probe on the CICC was stalled after Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia filed a complaint that sought Ombudsman Director Virginia Santiago’s exclusion from the investigation.
While Santiago took no part in the actual probe, she oversaw the efforts of the three-member panel that undertook the investigation, being the acting deputy ombudsman and concurrent head of the office’s fact-finding bureau.
The governor’s lawyers argued that Santiago’s statement telling Saavedra to stop leaking information to the media so that details obtained during the discreet probe won’t leak indicated that Santiago was biased against the governor.
It was only after Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierrez came to Cebu last month and announced how she disapproved the motion that the investigation resumed.
“Here (with Apostol serving as Deputy Ombudsman-Visayas), they will have nothing more to complain about,” Saavedra said.
As this developed, Saavedra trained his guns on Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez and said it is the vice governor and not he who should have his head examined.
Above question
“He probably thinks that the money used to build the CICC was his personal cash and that he is above question,” Saavedra said.
The businessman was reacting to a statement the vice governor had issued in a broadcast interview.
Saavedra reiterated his allegations that the CICC project was overpriced just like the P85 million police surveillance camera and the Asean Summit lampposts.
“The Asean Summit was not a success because of the corruption that has tainted it. It is only in Cebu where we can find the most expensive decorative lamppost in the world, a police surveillance camera system worth P1.5 million per camera – P800,000 each just to hang one on top of an electric post, and the CICC,” Saavedra said.
“If I were Ambassador Paynor, I would return that award to the Capitol and save myself nightmarish memories for the rest of my life,” he added.
Gov. Garcia gave Paynor a citation for the successful hosting of the summit during the Provincial Government’s Foundation Rites last week.
Paynor was recognized for his leadership in the hosting and for “his faith in the Cebuano spirit.” The ambassador served as chairman of the summit’s national organizing committee. (KNR)
