Aloguinsan road repairs done sans public bidding?

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the local opposition have accused the mayor of Aloguinsan of implementing close to P1 million road maintenance projects in at least four mountain barangays without public bidding.

 Incumbent councilor and vice mayoralty candidate Danilo Margallo said that the ongoing maintenance project of Mayor Augustus Casesar Moreno in Barangays Zaragosa, Bonbon, Toyokon and Saksak are without public bidding.

In fact, the bidding was only scheduled yesterday by the Bids and Awards Committee. BAC chairman John Lim however was forced to reschedule the bidding on March 26 after the lone bidder, Rodpa Construction, and the members of the technical working group did not appear.

Lim said that some BAC members were having seminar while others were attending graduation rites of their children. Lim said that if the next scheduled bidding will fail the next bidding will be done in June already.

Moreno admitted that there is already ongoing maintenance works in the four barangays despite the absence of bidding. But, Moreno said it is his equipment that is being used by the barangays for free.

The improvements include scraping of damaged roads, filling in of limestone, grading and road rolling. Moreno said he used his equipment for free upon the request of the barangay captains.

“I am one hundred percent sure that I have not signed any check for payment of said project and if the work did not go through the process, then it is advantageous on the part of the government,” Moreno said.

Moreno pointed out that no public works can be done secretly as the Commission on Audit requires government agencies to post notices of bidding not only in the bulletin board but on-line through the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS).

Only registered contractors with PhilGEPS can participate the bidding, he said.

Although he owns some heavy equipments but Moreno said he has no construction firm registered with PhilGEPS but a hauling operation.

Moreno also said he is hauling some filling materials from the ongoing quarry in Barangay Kawasan which is intended for the road widening of the national road undertaken by GM Builders.

Margallo dismissed Moreno’s statement as mere alibi.

“Nganong karon naman lang, sulod sa pipila ka katuigan nga sayud ang mga taga barangay nga naglisud sila sa guba nga dalan (Why only now when the people in the barangay have been suffering from the bad roads for years),” he said.

Margallo also did not believe that no public fund is involved in the works using the mayor’s heavy equipment.

Margallo, a member of Liberal Party, is running for vice mayor against Moreno, a member of One Cebu. — (FREEMAN)