Kaban ni D_BystandeR: ADLAW SA PANUDYA MIABOT NA???

Balili land backfilling has 'bloated' cost, no authority. Suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has another burden to carry. The Office of the Ombudsman has elevated to a formal investigation a complaint about the P27 million backfilling of  the Balili beach property in Naga City, southern Cebu. The anti-graft office also issued a "cease and desist order" to prevent the Capitol from paying P6.9 million for a delivery of filling materials. It said no authority was given by the Provincial Board for the governor to hire ABF Construction and that the contract price for the work appeared "bloated." In sum, the irregularities if taken together tend to establish that the transaction is tainted with evident bad faith, gross inexcusable negligence or manifest partiality." the Ombudsman said. 

The inquiry stemmed from separate complaints filed last December 2012 by Hilario Davide III and Magpale, both running for the Capitol posts in the May 13 election, announced the Ombudsman's findings yesterday in a press conference. The 2008 purchase of the Balili estate is the subject of criminal charges in a graft case pending in the Sandiganbayan after most of the 24.7-hectare land was found to be under water or classified as timberland. The backfilling took place soon after. In the current case, Garcia and 11 other provincial officials as well as the contractor will be given chance to respond in a preliminary investigation. Garcia's daughter and lawyer Christina Codilla-Frasco yesterday said they have yet to receive a copy of the Final Evaluation Report signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. "This recommendation is highly suspect because it is a mere three days before the elections and the complainants are running for governor and vice governor under the LP. The people know the truth and can surely look beyond this last ditch attempt to get ahead in the elections," she added. Garcia was impleaded with Acting Provincial Accountant Emmanuel Guial and former Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre on charges of violating Rep. Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, illegal use of public funds or property, grave misconduct, and gross neglect of duty. Eight other Capitol officials and the president of the construction firm are also impleaded. They are acting provincial engineer Adolfo Quiroga, the chairperson of the Bids and Committee (BAC), Marivic Garces; BAC vice chairman Bernard Calderon, and BAC members Manuel Purog, Emme Gingoyon, Ma. Junelene Arenas along with alternate members Cristina Giango, Rosalinda Jao, and Bernabe Gilbor. The province spent P27 million for "restoration" work at the balili beach property. In his complaint, Davide, said the backfilling was done in bad faith as it suppressed evidence in a pending graft case before the Sandiganbayan. In its findings, the Ombudsman said no resolution was passed by the Provincial Board authorizing Gov. Garcia to fill up the site with limestone or a resolution allowing her to spend government funds for this. The outlay was taken from the province's annual budget earmarked for "seaport/airport and other economic enterprise site development plan" for the years 2010 until 2012. The Ombudsman cited a Supreme Court ruling that said an appropriation ordinance that describes projects in generic terms does not grant the governor authority to enter into contracts without prior approval of the Provincial Board. "In the instant case, Gov. Garcia should have obtained the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Cebu before the contracts with ABF Construction were executed to fill up the submerged and mangrove areas of the Balili Property," the anti-graft office said. The second contract for the project was also bloated.

The Ombudsman said the cost for supply and delivery of backfilling materials was based on the cost of dredging "to unreasonably bloat the ABC Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC). There is a clear showing that the filling materials were taken from an inland quarry site without the use of barge mounted dredging machine and divers." Irregularities were found in the bidding process as well. Only the bid proposal of ABF Construction was opened and the BAC didn't open the bid submitted by another construction firm. There was also no Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the activity.

(Bug-os ang  pasalamat sa KAHAYAG ngadto sa magtatampo  nga si JOHNNY LOVE nga nagkutlo sa paambit gikan sa pamantalaa, Cebu Daily News. Nagtakuban siya sa pangalan, "D_BystandeR".  Natawo siya sa Sugbo apan anaa na karon manimuyo sa Illinois sa tinipong nasod sa Amerika. Ang kusog nga koneksyon sa kasayuran pinaagi sa internet kanunayng naghaling sa iyang kadasig  pagtuki sa mga nagbukalbukal nga hisgutanan dinhi sa atong nataran. Usa siya ka magsusulat nga gradwado sa kursong komersiyo padulong sa pagka accountant sa University of San Carlos kaniadtong tuig 1961.  Nahimo siyang miyembro sa usa ka hugpong sa mga batan-ong magsusulat nga gitawag ug STUDENT PRESS.  Nahimo usab siyang   Associate Editor sa basahon  USC-JPIAN sa tuig 1962-63. Magtatampo usab siya isip magsusulat sa nasudnong magasin,  "Philippines Free Press" ug sa mga nag-unang peryodiko dinhi sa dakbayan sa Sugbo sa lunhaw pa ang iyang pangedaron. Nahimo siyang mamumuo sa usa ka pribadong kompaniya sa dakbayan sa Sugbo, ESCANO LINES, sulod sa napulo ug duha (12) ka tuig  dayon niyang tapon  ngadto sa NAPOCOR  ug nahimong kawani sa kagamhanan  sulod sa bayente dos (22) ka tuig. Niadtong tunga-tungang bahin sa tuig 2000, nilalin siya ngadto sa tinipong nasod sa Amerika ug sulod sa napulo (10) ka tuig, nagtrabaho siya sa  buhatan sa kagamhanan sa nasod sama  sa  UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS).  Karon sa pangedaron nga 68,  gihuptan gihapon niya ang walay pagkutat nga kadasig ug walay busganan nga kaikag sa pagpaambit sa iyang nahuptang abilidad  ug kabatid sa panulat.  Dili niya mapugngan ang kaugalingon sa pagpaambit sa iyang mga hunahuna labi na kon molambigit kini ug hisgotanan nga makadani sa iyang mga mata.)