Saavedra dared to expose CH anomalies

 City Hall officials have challenged whistleblower Crisologo Saavedra to help Mayor Tomas Osmeña expose some anomalies at the Cebu City government if he has information about them.

There are some city officials, however, who have doubts that Saavedra will still expose anomalies at the City Hall now that the city had conferred on him an award during the celebration of the 71st City Charter Day anniversary on Sunday.

For one, an employee assigned to the city treasurer’s office said: “Ako hinuon nagtuo ko nga maikog na si Saavedra pagbulgar og anomaliya nga maglambigit sa city government kay usa na man siya ka awardee sa syudad.”

Osmeña’s urban poor consultant Gerry Marquez however believed otherwise. He said that even if Saavedra was awarded by the city for his admirable job of exposing anomalous government transactions, he will not be prevented from exposing illegal activities of some city employees if he has the proof.

Even Osmeña believed that graft and corruption activities are still hounding the city government and this prompted him to ask Saavedra to help him expose the illegal activities of these personnel.

Saavedra has become popular for exposing the alleged overpricing of the contracts of the Cebu International Convention Center, and the controversial purchase of the decorative lamp posts by the Department of Public Works and Highways, allegedly in connivance with some local officials.

But even before Saavedra’s name became famous for the CICC controversy, he had been noted for exposing questionable government transactions at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

Osmeña said he was not happy with the illegal activities of some city employees that is why he also asked the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct more operations against these corrupt personnel. — Rene U. Borromeo/RAE