Engineering office asked to repair defects at Capitol legislative bldg.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday instructed the Provincial Engineer’s Office to correct the defective portion of the P60-million legislative building, particularly at the Office of the Vice Governor.

Garcia said that it would be viable to let the provincial engineer repair the damage on the walls, moldings and floor tiles of the building.

Earlier, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. claimed Dakay Construction and Development Corp. ignored their call to correct the defects of the building.  Sanchez showed reporters cracks on the wall and moldings that had fallen from the ceiling.

As this developed, the Provincial Board approved a resolution asking PEO chief Eugelio Pelayro to appear during their regular session next week and detail the defects of the legislative building.

The resolution was sponsored by board member Juan Bolo.

The vice governor, an engineer by profession, concluded that Dakay Construction used substandard materials in constructing the legislative building.

“We will try to gather all the documents from the provincial engineer.  If we found out that materials did not comply with the specified ones, we will file an appropriate case,” Sanchez said.

Garcia said the expenses that will be incurred in fixing the defects of the building shall be deducted from the remaining collectibles of Dakay Construction from the provincial government.

The provincial government has almost finished paying the firm the P60 million stipulated in their contract.

Sanchez threatened to sue Dakay Construction after the molding fell from the ceiling in his office at the third floor of the legislative building.  He warned that the construction company may be charged with penalty for its delay in the completion of the building.

Sanchez said the legislative building cannot yet be considered complete since the Cebu province has not yet accepted the building, which was constructed during the term of former governor Pablo Garcia and vice governor John-John Osmeña.

The Provincial Board and the vice governor started using the building in 2005.  – Gerome M. Dalipe/BRP