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Monday, April 18, 2005
2 contractors under probe get P3.1M deal
By Linette C. Ramos
CEBU CITY -- At least P3.1 million worth of projects were awarded to two allegedly erring contractors of the Cebu City Government, even with a pending investigation and plans to blacklist them.
The Cebu City Council approved last month two separate resolutions awarding projects to Desire Construction and CTDA Construction.
Both are under investigation for lapses in their previous contracts with the City.
Former city administrator Juan Saul Montecillo said that since the mayor ordered the investigation on the contractors and subsequently blacklisted them in October last year, he already said no project should be awarded to these contractors.
"We made it very clear that time that they should no longer be given any project even if the investigation and blacklisting process are still ongoing. This should be looked into, why they still got projects," said Montecillo, who is also Mayor Tomas Osmeña's consultant.
Osmeña decided in October that CTDA, Desire and NP Adlawan, said to be sister-companies, can no longer serve the City because of several lapses and complaints regarding their services.
Desire was included in the blacklisting process because it allegedly has a consultant who is also with NP Adlawan, which was not indicated in both companies' eligibility documents.
In the guidelines of the bids and awards committee (BAC), failure to report vital information in the eligibility documents is a ground for disqualification from participating in a bidding.
Montecillo told Sun.Star Cebu he checked on the status of the investigation with Acting City Attorney Rodolfo Golez but as of last week, results were not available yet.
Acting City Administrator Francisco Fernandez, BAC chairman, said Sunday he did not know the two contractors were being investigated when they awarded the projects.
He assured, though, to investigate the matter today and find out why the projects were awarded to Desire and CTDA.
"If there's any misrepresentation by anybody in both contracts, we will certainly take actions against them. I know very little about this but I will look into this," he said.
Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, proponent of the resolutions, said she consulted the city attorney's office before seeking the council's approval on the resolutions.
The City Attorney's Office reportedly said CTDA has been cleared since its operations are not in any way connected with Desire or NP Adlawan, even if their owners have the same family name.
In their regular session last March 22, the council authorized the mayor to enter into and sign the contract with CTDA for the construction of grouted riprap, drainage system and lined canal with cover on Urgello St., which would cost the City P2,592,943.
Desire, for its part, would construct a lined canal with cover and drainage system worth P617,915.50 in Barangay Pardo.
(April 18, 2005 issue)
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