Investigate overpriced ICC

Senator Francis Escudero has urged the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the overpriced P700-million Iloilo Convention Center (ICC), construction of which was partly financed by funds Senate President Franklin Drilon received from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), P100 million and Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), P200 million.

Other sources of funds for the convention center’s construction include the P200 million from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and another P200 million from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Escudero said Blue Ribbon Chairman T.G. Guingona should show the same enthusiasm in probing the ICC as it has shown in probing the Makati Parking Building II, which is said to upstage the world-renowned Beijing National Stadium, more popularly known as the Bird’s Nest, in terms of building price.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago has filed resolution No. 906 calling for a probe into the alleged anomalous transactions, involving multi-billion pesos in public funds between Hilmarc’s Construction Corp. (HCC) and certain local government units (LGUs).

She said that HCC who built the Makati Parking Building also built the Iloilo Convention Center, which is allegedly overpriced by P531 million if the ICC was built with the same cost per square meter of the SMX Convention Center, or overpriced by P191 million if we match the cost of the ICC to the per square meter cost of the Bird’s Nest.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Teddy Ridon has filed House Resolution 1466 urging the House committee on public works and highways to probe HCC for clinching several big-ticket government infrastructure projects, some of which are embroiled in controversies involving corruption and bloated construction costs.

The repetitive selection of HCC for various anomalous government projects points to its probable close relations with high-ranking officials both on the national and local level.

Of the 20 construction contracts HCC snagged from the government in the last 10 years, the ICC stands out as the firm’s biggest overpriced project to date, Ridon claimed.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada also challenged Guingona to open the investigation into the ICC project.

Probe Alan Purisima

To ensure the integrity of the police force, the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs headed by Senator Grace Poe, has issued a 23-page report charging Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima for graft, for unexplained wealth, for disparity in his statement of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALN), for receiving donations for the renovation of the chief’s official quarters (dubbed the “White) House” inside Camp Crame and for receiving a huge discount in his Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which Purisima listed on his SALN as worth P1.5 million when the market cost is P4.3 million.

The committee stated that it cannot close its eyes as to the possible violation by the PNP chief of the above-listed statutes so as to eradicate all doubt in the public’s mind that our police force is being headed by a personality with questionable integrity and transparency, as well as the PNP’s leadership and the direction.

The Senate committee report was concurred in by Senators Francis Escudero, Aquilino Pimentel III, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Tito Sotto and Loren Legarda.

Tessie Sy Coson in Singapore

In a speech she delivered at the 14th Global CEO Conference in Singapore, Teresita Sy-Coson, vice-chairman of SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) encouraged foreign investors to invest in the Philippines.

“We have been under-looked at and under-valued in the last five years, yet we have been growing at five percent GDP. With our current President, we have had a remarkable improvement in governance,” Sy-Coson added.

Sy-Coson said the Philippines has a young population (between the ages of 21 to 35) with a huge earning capacity and a large overseas Filipino working base that consistently remit earnings to their families, and in turn help the country’s economy.

6 soldiers killed

In a 45-minute fierce firefight, six soldiers, including 2nd Lieutenant Jun Corpuz, were killed by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits, led by Radzmi Jannatul and a certain Katatung, in Sumisip, Basilan. One soldier was wounded.

The troops were conducting a security patrol in Barangay Libug when they clashed with some 20 heavily armed bandits. The ASG rebels took the soldiers’ guns and personal belongings.

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said he was saddened by the fresh outbreak of violence.

Philippine Army Private Class soldiers Dario Mahawis and Jerome Sambrona, were gunned down in an ambush by NPA rebels at Daraga, Albay.

In Sulu, the government forces captured a vacated Abu Sayyaf camp after the rebels nested into the mountains.

Meanwhile in Mindoro, the Armed Forces of the Philippines  (AFP) is intensifying its anti-insurgency operations, according to Major General Ricardo Visaya, Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief.

There are 500 to 700 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Mindoro.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman has recommended an all-out military offensive against the ASG after the said ambush that claimed the lives of six soldiers; that might have killed him if he arrived earlier.

Tidbits

Condolence to Luli Arroyo-Bernas on the death of her 13-month-old baby boy named Jorge “Jugo” Alonzo.

Happy birthday greetings to Nilo Raymundo, charter president of the Philippine Eagles.