Drilon faces accuser as Senate probes 'overpriced' ICC

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has started its inquiry into the alleged overpriced construction of the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC), a supposed pet project of Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Among those who attended today's hearing are Drilon, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. and former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada.

Mejorada had filed plunder complaints against the officials for benefiting from the alleged rigged bidding and overpricing of the project.

Hilmarc's Construction Corp., the company that built the controversial Makati City Hall II parking building, is also the contractor of the ICC.

The hearing on the ICC stemmed from Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago's resolution seeking an investigation into the "anomalous transactions involving billions of pesos in public funds between Hilmarc’s Construction Corp. and certain local government units."

The resolution cited reports that the ICC is overpriced by P531 million or four times more expensive than the SMX Convention Center.

According to the resolution, the ICC was said to be built at a cost of P109,375 per square meter based on a floor area of 6,400 square meters compared to the SMX Convention Center at P26,400 per square meters based on a floor area of 46,647 square meters.

The ICC was reportedly funded by Drilon's Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel in 2012 and through his Disbursement Acceleration Program allocation in 2013.

In his opening statement at the start of the hearing, Drilon again denied the allegations.

"I vehemently deny the accusation that I caused the ICC Project to be overpriced. The ICC Project is not overpriced," he said.

Drilon said on the contrary, the government, through the Department of Tourism  (DOT) acquired for free through a donation, a 17,371 square-meter prime property, worth at least 521 million pesos, for the ICC site.

"It is disheartening to witness relentless smear campaigns against a forthright project which aims to spur economic activities and generate jobs," Drilon said.

The Senate chief reiterated that he had nothing to do with the bidding for the project, because it was the Department of Public Works and Highway and the DOT that implemented the project.

"I did not interfere with any part of the bidding process, nor did I nominate or appoint the winning bidder," he said.

Drilon submitted a four-page affidavit before the Senate panel detailing his knowledge of the project.

He stated again that he would inhibit from the hearings but if needed, he would answer any questions during the hearing.