THE Mandaue City Government has launched a formal investigation on two ambulances worth a combined P6 million that remained unused for nearly five years due to procurement and registration irregularities, City Administrator Gonzalo “Sally” Malig-on said.
Malig-on said the issue was discovered during the early part of Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano’s term after a routine check revealed that the city had ambulances under the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MCDRRMO) that could not be used.
“It became apparent during a routine review that Mandaue City had ambulances that were never utilized because their vehicle registration was not transferred to the city,” Malig-on said.
According to him, the two ambulances were sanctioned in 2020 and cost P3 million each.
They were delivered to Mandaue City around February or during the first quarter of 2021 and were already fully paid.
However, the current administration only uncovered the problem in 2025.
“The sad part is that these ambulances were already delivered and paid for, but they were left unused for years. They pose a risk if operated, and any accident would result in serious damage and liability,” Malig-on said.
He said the ambulances remained idle for about five years because using them without proper registration would be dangerous and illegal.
Aside from the registration issue, Malig-on pointed out that there were irregularities in the procurement process, prompting the city to take action.
The City Government issued a notice of termination of the contract in 2025, even before the formal investigation was completed.
Malig-on said the City also attempted to cancel the registration, but the notice was reportedly not received, possibly due to address issues.
The ambulances were only registered on November 12, 2025.
“Even before the formal inquiry was concluded, the city already acted because we already had a clear direction where the case was headed,” he said.
Malig-on said the initial inquiry has already been completed, and the City is now moving to the next stage, which is a formal preliminary investigation.
This will cover the administrative aspect of the case and may later include criminal liability, depending on the findings.
Those involved in the procurement process from purchase to delivery and acceptance will be included in the investigation, although Malig-on declined to name individuals at this stage.
“For now, we cannot name those involved. We will only speak once formal charges are filed,” he said.
The City Government’s primary objective, Malig-on said, is to recover the P6 million spent on the unused ambulances.
“The goal of Mandaue City is to recover the P6 million in public funds. That is what we are working towards,” he said, adding that updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
Malig-on said the public has the right to question what happened, especially since the issue involves a large amount of money and essential emergency equipment that could have been used to save lives.
“This involves a significant amount of public funds that were wasted, and the ambulances were never used due to serious mistakes and irregularities,” he said.
He added that even if the ambulances are now registered, their value has already diminished after sitting unused for several years.
“At the very least, the city has already taken initial action. These things take time because documents still need to be reviewed and verified,” Malig-on said.
The investigation is being pursued under the directive of Ouano.
Malig-on said that depending on where the evidence leads, the case may be elevated to the Office of the Ombudsman.
“We already did this in the case of the cash clerk, and we can do it again,” he said. (ABC)