CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is planning to file charges against City Hall employees who engaged with an illegitimate supplier during the previous administration.
But before that, Osmeña ordered an investigation on the use of middlemen instead of going directly to suppliers in the City’s Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP).
“Some P18 million goes to a mysterious supplier in Mandaue who cannot even be found. The products are not going anywhere. I just want you to note to show that this is one very clear case of graft,” Osmeña told reporters.
The mayor’s comment came after the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the City Government procurement of P12.9 million worth of food items from a middleman who acted as supplier for the city’s SFD in 2014, and the disbursement of the P9.6 million payment of food for daycare or home-based preschoolers feeding program last year.
The findings were included in the annual audit report of COA on the City’s finances.
Osmeña mentioned an employee who is a relative of a city councilor, who was allegedly involved in the transaction.
Delivered
He said the matter should be looked into, considering that it involves public funds, and to find out where the food supplies were delivered and what daycare school benefited from the program.
“Where’s the food? Who gets them? What day care? We will ask every day care center, what, when, how?” Osmeña said.
In the COA report, Osmeña said some daycare centers in the City did not have a feeding program.
The City bought the food items from a lone supplier, Virgilio and Elsa General Merchandise. But when state auditors visited its warehouse, it did not have any stock of food supply.
Auditors asked the City Government to conduct a post-qualification or evaluation of any suppliers to ensure that they are legitimate.
Asked if he will continue the program, Osmeña said he will have to look into the matter.