Cebu City Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa filed a resolution seeking a probe into infrastructure projects worth more than P432 million flagged by the Commission on Audit due to missing technical documents.
The missing records, including detailed unit price analyses and approved plans requested by the Commission on Audit in August 2025 and March 2026, hampered the technical evaluation of previous administration projects.
The proposed investigation targets the Department of Engineering and Public Works, the City Engineer's Office, and other officials to determine reasons for deficiencies and assess compliance with regulations.
CEBU City Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa is seeking a probe into infrastructure projects worth more than P432 million that were flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) after the City Government failed to submit key technical documents.
Abellanosa filed a resolution urging the committee on infrastructure to investigate the deficiencies and require concerned city offices and officials to explain why the documents were not made available to auditors.
The resolution cited COA findings involving infrastructure projects of the previous city administration, saying the absence of required technical documents hampered the audit and evaluation of the projects.
Among the documents reportedly not submitted were detailed unit price analyses, bills of quantities, breakdowns of contract costs, variation orders, program evaluation and review technique/critical path method network diagrams, and complete sets of approved plans and drawings.
“These deficiencies caused delay in technical evaluation and weakened accountability in the use of public funds,” the resolution said.
Missing records
The missing records made it difficult for auditors to determine whether project costs were reasonable, schedules were realistic and procurement procedures had been properly observed.
The resolution said COA formally requested the documents from the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) in August 2025 and again in March 2026, but they remained unavailable.
Abellanosa said the situation warrants an inquiry to determine the reasons for the deficiencies, assess compliance with existing laws and policies, and identify gaps in the City’s systems to prevent similar problems.
He is proposing that the committee on infrastructure investigate the DEPW, the City Engineer’s Office and other responsible officials over the unavailable project documents.
The resolution also urges the DEPW and City Engineer’s Office, in coordination with the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), to submit the missing records and ensure compliance with COA rules and regulations moving forward.
The measure cited Section 477 of the Local Government Code, which outlines the functions of the local engineering office, including engineering services, investigations and surveys, engineering designs, feasibility studies and project management.
It also invoked the constitutional principle that public office is a public trust and that public officials must remain accountable to the people.
The resolution, however, did not make a finding of wrongdoing against any particular official or contractor.
Instead, it seeks to determine why the required records were unavailable and whether lapses occurred in the handling and documentation of the projects.
If adopted, copies of the resolution would be furnished to the Office of the Mayor, City Engineer’s Office, DEPW, BAC, committee on infrastructure and other concerned offices for their information and guidance. / CAV