Toledo City treasurer sues BAC, suppliers

CEBU, Philippines — The city treasurer of Toledo has filed three complaints against 20 individuals including the chairman and members of their Bids and Awards Committee and several private suppliers before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

City Treasurer Leonardo Rivera Jr. filed his complaints against the 20 individuals for violations of Section 3 (e) and (g) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act as well as grave abuse of authority, dishonesty, gross misconduct and gross neglect of duty.

Named respondents are Christopher Rafols (BAC and General Services Office chairman); Eldrin Natad, Catherine Juma-ang, Christi Tepait, Mirasol Aposaga (all BAC Technical Working Group), Joshua Rizaga Jr. (head of BAC secretariat), and Ma. Delia Tacondong and Edwin Abad (BAC members).

Other private individuals included in the complaints were Marvey Cano (alleged winning bidder); Christian Kay Yurango (representative of alleged winning bidder); Virginia Lopez, Ma. Chona Villacarlos, and Raem Alveza (GSO canvassers); Atty. Hazan Bargamento (end-user); Giselle Alberca (alleged winning bidder of Alberca Sounds and Lights Rental); Martin Acero (feigned representative of an alleged sham bidder of Sound Balloon Entertainment); Cerila Secuya (feigned representative of an alleged sham bidder of Earthshakers Sound System); Sheila May Sayson (feigned representative of an alleged sham bidder of Shewak’s Engravables); Judy Geonzon (representative of MCano Consumer Goods Trading); and Carlo Mopon (feigned representative of an alleged sham bidder of The Award Shop).

First complaint:

In his complaint-affidavit, Rivera said that sometime on June 2023, in the course of reviewing the supporting/ attached documents submitted to his office for payment for goods/services allegedly rendered, it came to his attention some highly irregularities regarding the canvass of goods specifically: rental-sounds lights, LED wall, stage and trusses for Garbo Sa Toledo 2023 setup, poles for droppings, backdrops, inclusive grandiose lighting and audio system setups for the activity area, provide services for music and lights rehearsals for the whole duration of State of the City Address (SOCA) and Garbo sa Toledo.

The canvass of the services was purportedly participated by three entities, namely: Sound Balloon Entertainment represented by Acero; Earthshakers Sound System owned by Edrill N. Secuya and Giselle Alberca, owner of Alberca Sounds and Lights Rental.

Based on the canvass sheet, it was Alberca Sounds and Lights Rental won the bidding to provide for the services described on the canvass sheet.

However, Rivera claimed that the canvass sheet signed by the two others were reportedly falsified documents as Acero is not even an employee of Sound Balloon Entertainment while the name of Secuya in the canvass sheet is disowned by her.

“Thus, the alleged bidding is totally a falsity or a mockery to say the least,” he said adding that Alberca Sounds and Lights Rental is demanding payment to the tune of P498,000 for the alleged services.

Sadly, he said the BAC chairman, members and secretariat and TWG and the end-user of Toledo City obviously simply closed their eyes of this obviously blatant and sham transaction and worse approve the same.

Rivera said that due to these apparent irregularities, the payment of these alleged procured services from the coffers of the City Government of Toledo would eventually be disallowed by the Commission on Audit; it would cause undue injury and gross damage to the government.

He added that these irregular and questionable transactions by the respondents by giving unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in favor of Alberca Sounds and Lights Rental, in the discharge of their official functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence is manifestly in violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act No. 3019.

Second complaint:

Rivera said that sometime in June 2023, in the course of reviewing the supporting/attached documents submitted to his office for payment for services allegedly rendered, it came to his attention some highly irregularities the matter of canvass of goods specifically in the procurement of plaques and trophies awarded on the occasion of 2023 Toledo City Charter Day amounting to P165,400.

The canvass of plaques and trophies was purportedly participated by three entities, namely: Shewak’s, The Award Shop, and MCano Consumer Goods Trading.

Rivera alleged that the bidding was a sham and favored MCano Consumer Goods Trading as Sayson is not authorized to sign the Canvass Sheet on behalf of Shewak’s Engravables while Mopon, who signed the Canvass Sheet, is not even an employee of The Award Shop.

“I cannot simply close my eyes or swallow these questionable and highly irregular transactions which are obviously aimed at systematically defrauding the government and just pay the unconscionably over-priced items to the gross damage and prejudice of the City Government of Toledo. To top all the excessive, unconscionable, revolting and shocking prices of MCano Consumer Goods Trading, there was really a total absence of canvass process as the alleged canvass of the other two competing bidders were a total sham,” he said.

Rivera added that MCano Consumer Goods Trading represented by its sole owner, Cano and Yurango, attorney-in-fact is demanding payment of P165,400 for the 30 plaques and 16 trophies for the said event.

He added that the BAC chairman, members and secretariat and TWG obviously simply closed their eyes of these obviously blatant and sham transactions and worse approved the same.

Third complaint:

Rivera said that sometime on June 2023, in the course of reviewing the supporting/attached documents submitted to his office for payment for services allegedly rendered, he came across a questionable and irregular transaction of Minglanilla Dance Company also known as Minglanilla Dance Coordinator or MDC and Yurango, owner of Chanventures Production Events Organizing Services with the City Government of Toledo.

There were three invited bidders, namely: MDC, Macky’s Production and Chanventures Production and Events Management with a quoted amount of P4.195 million, P4.2 million and P4.5 million, respectively, for the “procurement of artistic director/production artist for Toledo City 63rd Charter Day Celebration which is supposed to be procured on the 2023 Sinulog Festival for a significantly considerable sum of P4,200,000.

It was MDC who won the bidding but Rivera said that MDC and Chanventures Production and Events Management are one and the same.

“Therefore, they are not competing with each other since time immemorial. Hence, the requirement that procurement of goods, infrastructure projects, and services shall be competitive is altogether defeated,” Rivera further said. —  (FREEMAN)