BTAO coordinator won't accept patrol boat

A COORDINATOR of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) refused Wednesday to accept the 28-footer patrol boat from councilor Jose Carlos Lopez because of its missing accessories.

BTAO coordinator Reynaldo Ebreo said he cannot accept the boat, saying: “We rejected it because the patrol boat lacks basic accessories such as marine radio. The life jackets were only five instead of ten, the battery malfunctions. The remote control, portable marine spotlight and the speed boat itself needs to be set on sea trial to determine its sea worthiness."

He added that Lopez should complete the accessories and provide a brand new battery.

Ebreo recommended to Mayor Monico Puentevella not to accept the speed boat unless the accessories are completed.

He also challenged Lopez on the truth regarding the speedboat because he noted that the councilor once claimed that the speedboat was in the possession of a supplier as the city has not yet paid the freight fee.

Lopez has requested the assistance of the Office of the Ombudsman in Western Visayas in interceding with the Office of the Mayor of Bacolod City regarding the payment of the freight, training and trailer of the patrol boat donated by the Bureau of Fisheries to the city in 2012.

In his letter to Ombudsman Acting Regional Director Philip Camiguing dated May 6, Lopez said the supplier was supposed to be paid in 2013 during the incumbency of then Mayor Evelio Leonardia. However, payment was suspended since the notice of award reached the election ban.

Lopez said it has been a year since he made verbal follow-ups and sent letters that have been left unanswered.

“Mayor Monico Puentevella has shown manifest partiality since I do not belong to the his party, and has violated R.A. 6713 with regard to responding to letters. He has removed all my job order casuals since he has blamed me for his legal woes with the Ombudsman while all the other 11 councilors are given at least five casuals each,” he said.

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