Monday, October 13, 2008 Absence of billing statement forces City Hall to drop probe
SINCE there is no billing statement from ABS-CBN Cebu, the Office of the City Administrator dropped its investigation on the alleged irregularities in the placement of anti-dengue advertisements.
City Administrator Francisco Fernandez said an investigation became moot there was no claim for payment from ABS-CBN.
When asked if there was a need to find out who was responsible for the irregularities even after a senator volunteered to pay for the airing service fee, he said they would have done so only if City Hall funds would be used for it.
Roxas offer
As of last Friday, no bill for payment was sent to City Hall, presumably because Sen. Mar Roxas volunteered to pay for the P313,600 worth of airtime.
“The investigation has become moot and academic because there is no claim for payment. If ABS-CBN claimed, we would have proceeded with the investigation. Would the mayor have been held liable for it? Yes. Would he have been freed from the liability? Yes, if ABS-CBN won the bidding... But there’s no more claim,” Fernandez told Sun.Star Cebu.
Urgency
Several 30-second anti-dengue commercials were produced for free by Bigfoot Global Solutions for the City’s campaign against dengue.
Citing the urgency of the public advisory, Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña signed a contract with ABS-CBN Cebu for the airing of the commercials for September and October.
The contract did not pass through the bids and awards committee (BAC) and the City Council.
Although a competitive bidding might not be necessary because the City is under a state of calamity, it should have gone through a canvassing, a BAC member said.
In an interview last Friday, Fernandez said the proposal to air the commercials with ABS-CBN should have been referred to the BAC for the latter to decide on the procurement options.
From the BAC, it has to go to the City Council for approval.
But even if the mayor chose ABS-CBN without a bidding, he could have avoided any liability if a bidding was conducted and ABS-CBN Cebu won in the bidding, said Fernandez.
“There’s nothing wrong with the mayor signing the contract and giving it to ABS-CBN provided you assume the liability in the event that ABS-CBN does not win in the bidding. And he was willing to do that,” he said. (LCR)
