Thursday, April 24, 2008 Ombud may probe DPWH chief
PUBLIC Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane is not being spared by the Ombudsman in its investigation on alleged overpriced projects for the 12th Asean summit.
Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol said the resolution and decision signed by Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierrez last Monday is only one of many investigations on government projects for the summit.
Apostol issued the statement as Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña described former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza as giving “other mayors a bad reputation.”
Apostol was reacting to a statement issued by Ouano’s lawyer Gloria Dalawampu, who questioned why Ebdane wasn’t among those sanctioned.
“There are other investigations,” he said in Tagalog.
Apostol said the resolution and decision even ordered yet another fact-finding investigation: on the failure of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to hold a public bidding prior to awarding the lamppost contract to Fabmik Construction and Supply Co. Inc. and Gampik Construction and Development Corp.
“If she (Dalawampu) has any information or evidence to link him to this case, then maybe she should submit it to us,” he said.
The other investigations include those on the purchase of surveillance cameras, ghost road improvement, asphalting or concreting projects, and overpriced meals for dignitaries.
Apostol said the final evaluation report that was used as basis for the preliminary investigation and administrative adjudication on the lamppost controversy did not uncover evidence against Ebdane.
But, Apostol added, if they had forced the issue, no case would still be filed for lack of evidence.
Doing so would have caused delays in the proceedings against those people who the anti-graft office felt it had evidence on – Ouano and the 17 others ordered dismissed from service and the 20 others to be indicted before the Sandiganbayan.
“They are creating the issue to make it appear that he (Ebdane) is being spared. That is not true,” he said.
“Did he influence the people involved (in committing any improper act)? If they have evidence, let them come out with it and issue a statement,” he said.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, meanwhile, praised the Ombudsman on their recent ruling.
“God bless them that they have already done something. Whether it is complete or not, it is another thing,” he said in an ABS-CBN TV Patrol news report.
Reputations
Osmeña, meanwhile, said Ouano and Radaza destroyed the reputation of other mayors.
“I am glad that they are being identified. It is people like Ouano and Radaza that give other mayors bad reputation. Good riddance to them,” he said in an interview with reporters.
“It was a P90,000 lamppost and I didn’t sign. But they did for a P300,000 lamppost. (It was) the same post. It is a very clear sign that they colluded. My share was raised to P90,000 and theirs is P300,000. They signed it and they say they are innocent?” he said.
In Mandaue City, newly appointed Mandaue City Engineer Antonio Sanchez pledged to address corruption in the office and concentrate on the city’s unfinished projects.
On his first day at work last April 17, Sanchez discussed corruption with subordinates for two hours.
Sanchez, who was Cebu City engineer until last March, said all city government agencies throughout the country have some form of corruption and his goal isn’t eradicating the practice but minimizing it.
He told Mandaue City engineers and employees that he did not come to the office “blind” of the irregularities there.
“We have the same clients and I listen to their complaints regarding Mandaue city officials,” he said, referring to complaints aired to him when he was still in Cebu City.
Sanchez said that before he accepted the post, he asked Mayor Jonas Cortes to give him a free hand to implement pro-jects that were funded but left unfinished by the previous administration.
When Sanchez quit his Cebu City post, Osmeña wrote on his letter a marginal note: “Approved with regret.”
Sanchez replaced engineer Dario Mago, who is now the head of the Department of General Services. (KNR/OCP/NRC)
