THE Cebu Provincial Treasurer did not approve the advance payment for WT Construction Inc. (WTCI) amounting to P194.8 million for the construction of the P1.2 billion Cebu Provincial Resource Center.
The amount is 15 percent of the P1.2 billion contract price of the 20-story edifice.
In a copy obtained of disbursement voucher 321970, Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre wrote on top of his name, “DISAPPROVED. NO PAYMENT SHALL BE MADE.”
Salubre declined to explain his action when sought for comment. He was in Borbon town when Superbalita Cebu sought his comment. Salubre is the concurrent municipal treasurer in Borbon.
Outgoing Governor and vice governor-elect Hilario Davide III said he did not receive a copy of the disbursement voucher and declined to further comment.
Lawyer Marino Martinquilla, who is a member of governor-elect and Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia’s (Cebu, Third) transition team, said he is glad of Salubre’s decision because finally there will now be a closure to the attempt to pay the advance payment to the contractor.
“It’s good that attorney Salubre, the Cebu Provincial Treasurer, had put his foot down on this voucher,” Martinquilla told media on Thursday, June 13 at the Cebu CFI building.
He added that Garcia’s effort not to continue the project and not pay WTCI paid off. He said from the start, the returning governor expressed her intent not to continue with the project because it will just be a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“Dili man tingali kabasol ang contractor sa gobernador (Garcia) kay gipahimangnoan naman siya daan. Unya nipadayon man gihapon siya (WTCI) og trabaho. Well, maybe he’s doing it at his own risk,” Martinquilla said.
(I think the contractor cannot blame the governor because they were already warned earlier. Yet it continued to work.)
He said the disbursement voucher was also not supported with a document as proof that there is an available fund. “Morag wala man ni moagi sa budget office,” he said. (It looks like it did not pass the budget office.)
“Besides, we have come to know, the loan for this project has not been approved by DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines) although there is already a contract,” Martinquilla said.
He believes that Salubre took into consideration the reservations of Provincial Accountant Marieto Ypil who was constrained to endorse any payment after receiving the letter from Garcia warning all department heads “not to process any and all billing related to the project.”
Martinquilla denied speculations Salubre is a Garcia supporter.
Ypil has returned the disbursement voucher to Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora who recommended the release of the advance payment.
Last June 3, Garcia’s transition team gave a letter to Davide and Capitol department heads, warning them to refrain from paying WTCI.
Garcia also gave a separate letter to WTCI informing them not to continue with the project. (From SCG of SuperBalita Cebu, VLA)