State auditor testifies on bloated prices of lampposts

CEBU, Philippines - State Auditor Alfredo Torrequimada testified in court yesterday that the price of the lampposts installed during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Cebu on 2007 was bloated.

Torrequimada told Justices Gregory Ong, Jose Hernandez and Maria Cristina Cornejo that it was the technical services office that found out about the bloated price. That was the first time that they conducted an inventory on a light facility.

Torrequimada admitted that he adopted the report of the technical working group about the purchase of the lampposts without scrutinizing the same, but found out later that the price was bloated.

Atty. Gloria Dalawampu, lawyer for the Mandaue City engineers, pointed out that Torrequimada never mentioned the city engineers in his testimony.

“When the City engineers submitted the program of work and estimate to the DPWH, there was no assigned contractor yet,” Dalawampu said.

The respondents of the case are Robert Lala, Marlina Alvizo, Pureza Fernandez, Cresencio Bagolor, Agustinito Hermoso, Luis Galang, Restitutu Diano, Ayaon Manggis, Marilyn Ojeda, Teesa Benido, Thadeo Ouano, Hidelisa Latonio, Gregorio Omo and Isabelo Braza.

The case stemmed from the overpriced purchase of 1,800 lampposts placed in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu during the summit.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas ordered the dismissal of Gloria Dindin, Restitutu Diano, Buenaventura Pajo, Cresencio Bagolor, Pureza Fernandez, Robert Lala, Marlina Alvizo, Luis Galang and Augustinito Hermoso all from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and city engineers Mario Gerolaga, Julito Cuizon, Gregorio Omo, Hedelisa Latonio and Regelio Veloso after they were found guilty of an administrative case still in relation to the purchase of the lampposts.

The order of the Ombudsman was “executory” but not yet final after the respondents made an appeal seeking for the reversal of the Ombudsman decision.  (FREEMAN)