2 former LWUA execs face graft raps

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of graft charges yesterday against two former officials of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) for paying a contractor prior to the completion of a project 10 years ago.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said former administrator Lorenzo Jamora and then acting deputy administrator Wilfredo Feleo will be indicted for their alleged involvement in irregularities in the implementation of the Guimba Water Supply Project (GWSP) in Nueva Ecija.

Renato Legaspi, president and chairman of Green Asia Construction and Development Corp., will also be a respondent to the case for causing undue injury to the government.

In addition, Jamora and Feleo were also found guilty of gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct and were dismissed from government service.

The Office of the Ombudsman’s decision narrated that in 1998, LWUA entered into a contract for consulting services for the implementation of the Small Towns Water Supply Sector Project.

In May 2001, the Guimba Water District (GWD) entered into a financial assistance contract with LWUA amounting to P60,372,000.

After complying with bidding requirements, the contract for the design and construction of the GWSP was awarded to Green Asia with a total project cost of P30 million.

In October 2003, the GWD issued a certificate of project completion but attached a list detailing the works that needed correction or completion.

Despite the incomplete project, Feleo and Jamora allegedly approved the payment of a P1.1-million check to Green Asia on July 12, 2004 even though documents show that the GWD issued a certificate of final acceptance on Aug. 5, 2004.

Graft probers said Green Asia unduly profited from the transaction since it was not entitled to payment at that time for failure to address the works that needed correction or completion.

The criminal complaint against former LWUA senior deputy administrator Emmanuel Malicdem was dismissed for lack of evidence.