Osmeña eyes charges in CH feeding anomaly

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is planning to file a complaint against the City Hall employees responsible for dealing with illegitimate supplier for the city's transaction.

Osmeña was reacting to the findings of the Commission on Audit that the city government procured P12.9 million worth of food items from a middleman that posed as supplier for the city's supplemental feeding program in 2014 and the disbursement of the P9.6 million payment of food stuff for day care or home-based preschoolers feeding program last year.

"The products are not going anywhere. I just want you to note to show that this is one very clear case of graft," he told reporters.

COA's findings were included in the annual audit report on the city's finances. Osmeña mentioned an employee who is a relative of a city councilor.

The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the councilor pending his comment.

Osmeña said his administration would investigate the transaction to find out where was the food supplies delivered, what day care school benefited the program, among others.

"So, we're going to have this investigated," he said, adding complaint will be filed against those liable employees.

Osmeña said he also wants an investigation into who received the food items procured by the city government from the lone supplier, Virgilio and Elsa General Merchandise.

"Where's the food? Who gets them? What day care? We will ask every day care center, what, when, how?" Osmeña said.

COA auditors visited Virgilio and Elsa General Merchandise but the warehouse of the supposed supplier did not show any stocks of food supply.

Auditors already asked the city government to conduct post-qualification or evaluation of any suppliers to ensure that they are legitimate.

"They want to see evidence of graft and corruption. It's not me. It's COA that's telling you," he said. (FREEMAN)