Probe on town budget officer requested

Former Compostela Mayor Gilbert Wagas has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to look into what he alleged as a questionable transaction in the construction of Medellin town’s new water system.

The Ombudsman received Wagas’ written complaint last Tuesday, which asked the anti-graft office to open an administrative investigation against the town’s budget officer Josephine Luceño. Wagas also asked the Ombudsman to determine the possible culpability of Medellin Mayor Manreza Lim and representatives of TSK Construction, the group to which the project was awarded.

In his complaint, Wagas questioned why the Bids and Awards Committee, then reportedly presided by Luceño, awarded the project to TSK Construction on October 2004 when the latter was the only bidder. He said the committee could have declared a failure of bidding and/or called for a second bidding.

Wagas alleged that the action was "detrimental to the best interest of the municipality and deprived the town of the opportunity to look for the lowest bidder."

Wagas narrated that with the recommendation of the Bids and Awards Committee, the municipal council then passed Municipal Resolution No. 2004-318 authorizing Lim to enter into a contract with TSK Construction. The contract reportedly provided that the project shall be finished within 150 days from its commencement.

The project was reportedly started in the first quarter of 2005. However, the same has not yet been completed as of April 2006.

Wagas said that to protect the interest of the municipality, the municipal council passed Resolution No. 2006-187, which strongly urged TSK Construction to finish the project.

However, TSK had reportedly refused to continue the project because it was allegedly implemented through subcontractor X Construction - a business entity allegedly owned and managed by Luceño - something that Wagas alleged to be violative of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. — Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV