Multicabs for Sta. Fe town bought months prior bidding?

CEBU, Philippines - The Municipality of Santa Fe, Bantayan Island reportedly procured 10 multicabs and registered them with the Land Transportation Office months before the bidding was conducted using the Priority Development Assistance Fund of fourth district Representative Benhur Salimbangon.

Salimbangon confirmed having downloaded the amount of P1,150,000 to the local government units but said he had nothing to do with the procurement process anymore.

“Ang ako lang nga nalipay ko nga naa ang mga multicabs na deliver gyud,” he said.

According to the documents forwarded to The Freeman, the original sales invoice dated January 30, 2009 was issued to Salimbangon but was superimposed with the names of the recipient barangay.

Salimbangon said the invoice was perhaps mistakenly written with his name since the fund came from him.

Each invoice issued by Porta Coeli Industrial Co., Inc. (PCIC) shows the total amount of P92,500 as cost of each unit of the multicabs.

The multicabs were also registered on May 22, 2009 in LTO Lapu-Lapu Extension Office.

However, the municipality’s Bids and Awards Committee chaired by Jeffrey Zamora published the invitation to bid on October 1, 2009.

No prospective bidders reportedly submitted a letter of intent and application for eligibility prompting BAC to declare the October 27, 2009 and February 10, 2010 biddings a failure and were duly approved by former mayor Jennifer Illustrisimo.

But a purchase request was dated January 5, 2009 after the first bidding was declared a failure.

The amount of P1,150,000 was reflected in the Statement of Account of the Development Bank of the Philippines as financial assistance of Salimbangon dated June 18, 2009.

A purchase order dated March 23, 2010 in the mode of negotiated procurement was signed by Illustrisimo and received by PCIC on March 25, 2010.

A delivery receipt dated April 6, 2010 shows that PCIC delivered the ten units of multicabs to the municipality of Santa Fe, Cebu and were received by Rolando Villacarlos.

But the date of Inspection and Acceptance Report signed by Municipal Treasurer Roy Salubre was on March 26, 2010.

The PCIC on April 13, 2010 issued the Statement of Account to the municipality for the payment of the ten units of multicabs in the total amount of P1,250,000.

A disbursement voucher was signed by Salubre and Illustrisimo on July 9, 2010 and the payment was received by PCIC on September 8, 2010.

On September 3, 2010, the Commission on Audit issued as inspection report stating that ocular inspection was conducted by a team relative to the delivery and found the multicabs to be delivered to the different barangys in accordance with the technical specifications indicated in the approve purchase order.

COA noted that the inspection report was delayed due to the late submission of the Agency’s Certificate of Acceptance. —/ATO (FREEMAN)