Ombuds asked: Probe "anomaly" at airport

 CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has been requested to investigate the officials of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority for an alleged anomaly in the bidding for the construction of the MCIAA Administration Building.

Crisologo Saavedra asked Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol for the urgent investigation into the alleged technical malversation of government funds and “collusion” in the bidding of MCIAA building.

He said sometime in October 2008 he filed a case against the MCIAA officials for a violation of Republic Act 3019 known as the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act in relation to the same project.

However, he said it was only recently that he learned that the funding of P80 million used in the said project belongs to “another appropriation”.

Likewise, Saavedra said it was only recently that he learned that Pedro Adonis Compendio, the consultant service, “was awarded without competitive bidding” in a violation of Procurement Reform Act.

Based on the documents filed before the anti-graft office it stated Compendio received P1,900,000 for being the consultant for the planning and detailed engineering design of the MCIAA Administration Building.

Saavedra alleged the MCIAA Board of Directors questioned the request of Compendio for the additional P40 million to add the original cost of P80 million for the said project.

He asked the anti-graft office to investigate former MCIAA manager Adelberto Yap; members of the Bids and Awards Committee Siefredo Dublin, Bienvenido Malayang II and Veronica Ordonez; all members of the MCIAA Board of Directors; the participating bidder namely: Pericles Dakay of Dakay Construction and Nelson Yu of Young’s Builder and Compendio.

Saavedra said he included the participating bidders in the letter request because he believed that there was a “connivance” with the bidders, Compendio and BAC members.

“Please take note that the difference from the bid price of Dakay Construction (one of the losing bidders in the bidding for the MCIAA Admin Bldg.) P19,988,888 and of Young’s Builder of P119,781,375.09, please find attached bid offer of Young’s Builder has very small variance of P207,503.91, which is unrealistic for a competitive bidding,” the letter request read.

Meanwhile, Saavedra said the construction of the MCIAA Administration Building was awarded to Young’s Builders. However, he said it was “left unfinished by the contractor after collecting P64,783,158.92.”

“The unfinished MCIAA Admin building is now rotting and abandoned,” he added.   (FREEMAN)