THREE members of the technical working group (TWG) of the bids and awards committee (BAC) were transferred to another department after they were relieved from their posts.
They are Protacion Arante Jr., a casual employee representing the Provincial Planning and Development Office, and Leticia Tauc and Felixberto Aloba, both permanent employees representing the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO).
Their relief was reportedly because they were critical of the bidding process.
However, Gov. Hilario Davide III and Siegfred Sepe, head of the PGSO, denied this.
Starting today, Arante and Aloba will report to the pre-audit section of the Provincial Accounting Office, while Tauc will report to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office.
Davide recently declared the bidding for the hiring of security guards a failure. This was followed by a revamp at the BAC, with Mark Tolentino replacing Orvi Ortega as its new chairman.
Not a permanent body
The governor, though, said Arante, Aloba and Tauc were not removed.
“(The) TWG was dissolved, because under the law TWG is not a permanent body of the BAC,” Davide said, adding that BAC has the option to create an ad hoc TWG to procure goods or infrastructure.
Under the Procurement Act, these sub-committees are not necessary, he said. Although under the law, Davide said, BAC may create sub-committees like for the procurement of goods and another for the “procurement” of infrastructure projects.
“Depende na sa (That depends on the) BAC,” he said.
The transfer of Arante, Aloba and Tacu was the call of the BAC chairman, he said. The governor said he does not know the specific reason for their transfer.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to get the reaction of Ortega, but he begged off from commenting. Tolentino was out of the office yesterday.
No place for them
With this new setup, BAC will only organize a TWG based on needs and on its evaluation, said Sepe, who is also a BAC member.
For example, he said, if they conduct bidding for medicines, they will get representatives from Provincial Health Office (PHO) to form a TWG, or engineers from the Provincial Engineering’s Office for a TWG on infrastructure projects.
On Aloba and Tauc’s relief from PGSO, Sepe, who assumed his post in May, said they have too many people in the department.
“There was no longer any place for them in their position and at their level in the department,” Sepe said in Cebuano.
He said they coordinated with Provincial Administrator Tolentino to look for positions where their strength, training and background would be fully functional.
Sepe said Provincial Treasurer Emmanuel Guial accommodated Tauc while he recommended Aloba to Provincial Accountant Marieto Ypil, who is in need of personnel.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to get Aloba’s reaction but he refused to comment. Arante and Tauc could not be contacted.