Binay camp hits ‘fuzzy math’ in science school pricing

MANILA, Philippines - Allegations of overpricing in the construction of the city-funded Makati Science High School building were based on “flawed and fuzzy math,” a spokesman for Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

“He conveniently overlooks the fact that the total construction cost includes the cost of the school’s foundation, finishing and facilities. If we go by his fuzzy math, then all public school buildings are overpriced,” Joey Salgado said, referring to lawyer and former Makati barangay chairman Renato Bondal who made the allegations.

Bondal – who earlier filed a complaint of plunder against the Vice President, his son Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay and other former city officials in connection with alleged anomalies in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2 – told the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee on Thursday that the bidding for the Makati Science High School building was also rigged to inflate the project cost by some P862 million.

Bondal said that at the cost of P1.5 billion, the 10-story Makati Science High School could be considered the most expensive school building in the country. He said the city government has spent a total of P1.333 billion for the project so far.

Aside from his “flawed math,” Bondal should also be made to account for lying. “Remember this is the same person who has perjured himself before the Senate. Mr. Bondal claimed that the birthday cakes given by Makati to senior citizens were overpriced at P1,000, only to admit later that the amount was just a guess,” Salgado added.

Salgado said all city projects were implemented in compliance with bidding rules and thoroughly examined by the Commission on Audit (COA).

He challenged Bondal and the Senate to stop their attacks on Binay and just file cases against him and other officials if they find anything anomalous in the construction of the Makati Science High School building.

“Both (City Hall) Building 2 and Makati Science have passed COA review. If Mr. Bondal and the Senate are confident in their latest allegations, then they should file a case before the courts,” Salgado said.

Based on documents in his possession, Bondal claimed that the average cost per square meter of the science high school building was  P72,500 and that the cost per classroom was P24.6 million.

Former Makati City General Services Department head Mario Hechanova, who had served as the vice chairman of the city government’s Bids and Awards Committee, also told the subcommittee that the bidding for the Makati Science High School project was rigged in favor of Hilmarc’s Construction Corp.

Meanwhile, Salgado appealed to Hechanova to stop dragging the name of the late city engineer Nelson Morales into the controversy.

“We appeal to Mr. Mario Hechanova to stop using the name of a dead person in making false testimonies before the Senate. The family and relatives of former City Engineer Nelson Morales are still grieving from his tragic death and Mr. Hechanova should spare them the agony of hearing the name of their lost kin being besmirched,” he said.