Anonymous complainant asks Ombuds to investigate Capitol “issues”

CEBU, Philippines - At least four controversial issues involving the Provincial Government was raised through a letter by an anonymous complainant before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

The omnibus letter complaint, dated November 16, 2015, addressed to Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Rodolfo Elman with attached news clippings and documents, was delivered through LBC Express on November 24, 2015.

 The complainant is requesting the anti-graft office to investigate Capitol officials involved in certain controversies and to charge them for violating some provisions of the laws.

 The controversies include the use of a government property by mounting the “Never Again” streamer at the Cebu International Convention Center by a group which allegedly is for the personal benefit of Governor Hilario Davide III, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and the entire Provincial Board.

 The complainant also asked the anti-graft office to sanction the City Treasurer of Mandaue for not collecting the proper taxes due to the city government on the installation of the huge streamer.

 Former governor, now third district Representative Gwendolyn Garcia, already filed last week complaints against Davide for what she calls malicious neglect for his refusal to repair the CICC.

 Hours ahead of Garcia, Mandaue City-based lawyer Ervin Estandarte also filed his own case against Davide and members of the Cebu PB for refusal to repair the CICC.

 The anonymous complainant also asked the Ombudsman to charge Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, who heads the Bids and Awards Committee and his members, for awarding the P250 million purchase of heavy equipment to ConEquip Phils., Inc. who bid the highest amount, but was earlier disqualified for a “very major deficiency” of its documents and “which cannot be rectified.”

 The complainant also brought up the reported deaths in the province-owned district hospitals and the bidding of the P57 million consultancy services of the proposed 12-storey disaster preparedness building.

Mandaue to issue demand letter

The Mandaue City government is set to issue today a demand letter to the group which purportedly put up the “Never Again” streamer at the CICC.

 Jamaal James Calipayan, executive secretary of Mayor Jonas Cortes, said in a phone interview that when the demand letter would be received by the Cebuanos for Good Governance and Development (CGGD), the group will have 10 days to submit the necessary requirements for posting the tarpaulin or else it will be removed by the city government. Calipayan, who represented the mayor in yesterday morning’s meeting of the billboard committee, said the committee has agreed to send the letter to collect the necessary fees for posting the tarpaulin, which has been at the CICC since late October.

 Earlier, Mandaue City treasurer Regal Oliva said the promoter of the political propaganda must pay the necessary fees from the first day it was mounted.

Calipayan also told the media that a certain Jaydar Medroza of CGGD had written them a letter assuring the city that they will pay the necessary fees.

 The executive secretary, however, could not estimate yet how much the fees would be as it will only be known once the tarp’s size is measured (the fee varies according to the size of the advertisement or promotional material and the days it is posted) by the City Engineering Office, which it will reportedly do once CGGD submits the requirements.

 At the end of October, CGGD mounted a “Never Again” yellow tarpaulin at the front of the dilapidated CICC, and on the first week of November, it added another tarp saying the building is a “waste of people’s money” which amounted to P840.2 million.  (FREEMAN)