Graft raps filed vs Makati village chief over P43.9-million lampposts

MANILA, Philippines - The chairman of Barangay San Lorenzo in Makati City and two others were charge with malversation and graft before the Office of the Ombudsman for the purchase of too many lampposts.

The complainants are Maria Luisa Tanada, Maria Luisa Chikiamco, Marilyn Mayoralgo, Marlene Clarissas Po, Katherine Anne Palomera, Estelita Crisostomo, Aida Aragon, Felicidad Recto, Victoria Villacorta, Beatriz Domingo and Carmina Ortega.

In their complaint, the 11 San Lorenzo residents said barangay chairman Joshua John Santiago committed dishonesty, oppression or grave misconduct and neglect in the performance of duty.

They accused Santiago of buying 1,200 lampposts worth P43.9 million, “when the barangay needed to install only about 530 lampposts, resulting in an over-purchase of about 670 pieces” equivalent to P24.5 million.

The complainants alleged that barangay treasurer Rosa Maria Malano and Benjamin Calubad, president of supplier Cenit Lighting Philippines Inc. worked in conspiracy with Santiago.

The complainants said barangay councilman Ernesto Moya, Guia Laguio-Falminiano, Jocelyn Hernandez, Norman Golez and former barangay councilman Emmanuel Recto filed an administrative complaint against Santiago for three separate acts of dishonesty and misconduct in office before the Makati City council in 2008.

The administrative complaint included Santiago’s excess purchase of 1,200 lampposts and failure to install 670 of the lampposts, they added.

The complainants said the city council had established after investigation that Santiago issued a purchase order in favor of Cenit on Dec. 27, 2006, a day before a bids and awards resolution was issued recommending the award of 1,200 lampposts to Cenit.

“The purchase of lampposts was definitely anomalous and highly irregular,” they said, noting that Santiago could not have issued a purchase order “when the bids and awards committee has yet to determine the winning bidder.”

“It was also established that respondent Santiago intended to replace all lampposts within the barangay including those that were undamaged and still in working condition, wasting several million of barangay funds,” the complainants said.

The Commission on Audit (COA) found out that Barangay San Lorenzo purchased through bidding 1,200 lampposts at a cost of P36,600 from Cenit by virtue of Resolution 141 in 2006.

Installation started on Jan. 29, 2007, simultaneous with the first delivery of 600 lamppost, while the second and final delivery of the remaining 600 units was made on Feb. 16, 2007, the COA said.

The COA conducted an actual count of the lampposts on Dec. 12, 2008, together with Bernardo Gonzalez, supply officer, identifying the areas where they were installed.

The COA found that only 599 lampposts were installed along the streets of San Lorenzo and Ecology Villages, and there were instances where two lampposts were installed very near each other.

The COA found that the uninstalled 601 lampposts were stored at a warehouse at Barangay Pio del Pilar, which was being rented for P50,000 per month, according to a lease contract from January to December 2008.

The COA also found out that based on interviews, the uninstalled lampposts were intended for Legazpi Village, which is within Barangay San Lorenzo.

However, Jaime Matias, Makati Commercial Estate Association, Inc. general manager, had objected to the installation of the lampposts in Legazpi Village.

The COA has recommended that the respondents “refund the total amount of P22,596,600 representing the cost of the uninstalled lampposts and the rent expenses for their safekeeping in a warehouse.”