No need for patron, says PDMB builder

The company that built the allegedly "overpriced" President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City yesterday denied that it was trying to bag a government road project in Batangas with the help of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez.

A source at the Department of Public Works and Highways said Perez was pressuring them to award the P41-million contract to JD Legaspi Construction.

Perez earlier denied the claim, which the company said was "false, libelous and irresponsible."

"Let me state in no uncertain terms that I do not know Secretary Perez, nor he me. So what reason would he have to act as a godfather so that my company will have an edge in securing this project," company owner Jesusito Legaspi said in a statement.

"And even if I had been given the honor to know the man, I would never ask him, or any other government official for that matter, to influence the awarding of government contracts in my favor."

Legaspi also denied allegations that Perez signed documents endorsing his company, and that his company borrowed another contractor’s license to qualify for the bidding of the project.

"That’s an absolute lie. We have no need to borrow another contractor’s license because we have prequalified for this project in Batangas. At the same time, it’s not our habit to go about borrowing licenses. Modesty aside, JDLC has an ‘AAA’ license since June 1987," he said.

"By having a triple A license, there is no project that a contractor cannot try to prequalify for. What it means is that there is no limit as to the project cost to which a contractor can aspire to build for."