Probe sought on
DENR pollution project

Environmental activists yesterday called for a government probe on a $6 million air pollution monitoring project between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and a private joint venture.

They expressed concern over the alleged highly-questionable transactions and suspicious actions of senior government officials, including Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes and a prominent administration congressman, a press release from Kalikasan Peoples' Network for the Environment said. Clemente Bautista, Jr. and Joey Papa of Bangon Kalikasan Movement presented a complaint filed by IMACH managing director Eduardo Mendoza to the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the DENR's Ambient Air Network Project, which involved the setting up, maintenance, and operation of 10 air monitoring stations meant to measure ambient air and pollutants.

The contract, amounting to US$6,163,000, was awarded to a joint venture between Emissions Technology Inc., a Guam-based company, and its local partner Industromach Inc. on November 2002.

However, on Feb. 14, 2005, IMACH officially withdrew from its partnership with the ETI, citing as reasons the ETI's misrepresentation with regards to its expertise in ambient air monitoring, its use of unreliable equipment, unilateral deviation of contract obligations, project management conflicts, overcharging local expatriate and local personnel rates, and non-payment of IMACH's project operation and maintenance expenditures, the press release said.

Despite the suspension of payments and recommendations to end the contract, it has agreed to continue with its transactions with ETI, Kalikasan said.

"This transaction should merit a full-blown investigation by the Ombudsman involving as it does the payment of millions of dollars allocated for that component of a loan package extended by the Asian Development Bank under its Clean Air Program as well as the highly suspicious actions of senior officials of the DENR and the participation of a prominent member of the Lower House of Congress," Mendoza wrote in his complaint.

He was referring to administration Rep. Edcel Lagman, representing the 1st district of Albay, the press release added.*