Ombud approves removal of Asean lampposts

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Manila has already granted the request of Mayor Michael Rama to remove the decorative lampposts from along the sidewalks of Salinas Drive in Lahug and Juan Luna Avenue in Mabolo that were used during the ASEAN Summit in 2007.

Rama is happy that Wendell E. Barreras-Sulit, special prosecutor of the Ombudsman, is favoring his request because the lampposts only serve as a “bad reminder” of the alleged corruption in their procurement.

The inventory conducted by a team of representatives from the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit (COA) and City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) late last year showed that only 677 of the 685 decorative lampposts remain with the parts of 137 lampposts missing.

Barreras-Sulit said there is no need to seek approval from the Sandiganbayan because although the said lampposts are subject of a pending case before the anti-graft court, these are not covered by any confiscation or forfeiture proceedings or order by the court.

“Considering the duties and functions of your office and your assessment that said lampposts are already an eyesore on the sidewalks, we see no impediment to its removal,” said Barreras-Sulit.

But he asked Rama and CITOM executive director Rafael Christopher Yap to have a list of persons and photographs taken during the actual removal. A video documentary should also be made, copies of which should be submitted to the Ombudsman special prosecutor. The lampposts shall then be kept in a secure and sheltered facility to ensure their availability when required.

City Hall’s General Service Office (GSO) head Rolly Ardoza said the decorative lampposts shall be stored inside a rented warehouse along M.C. Briones Street. The mayor said part of the lampposts shall be installed at the Senior Citizens Plaza across the City Hall.

Rama said if the lampposts should be removed lest some people, especially the tourists, would presume that the incumbent officials are part of the anomaly. He said while the lampposts were intended to decorate the streets, these are already dilapidated and obstruct the passage of pedestrians.

“We have to uproot these kenkoy lampposts which are, ironically, a reflection of how dim our future could get if and when corrupt people are get elected and hired in government service,” Rama earlier said.

The graft investigators had found that the acquisition and installation of lampposts and street lighting facilities along the streets of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities for the ASEAN Summit were highly overpriced. — (FREEMAN)