A Bacolod resident has requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental to investigate the alleged poor rehabilitation of the Paglaum Sports Complex that was undertaken without the required public bidding.

In his letter dated Feb. 16, to Emilio Yulo III chairman of the Committee on Education, Narciso San Miguel also asked that the simulation of the contract in order to pay the advances made by the contractor be investigated and if evidence warrant, to institute appropriate charges against Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella and all those who may be involved in the alleged anomalous project.

He said the rehabilitation of the Paglaum Sports Complex for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in Nov. 20 to Dec. 5 was a project cost P19,249,758.71.

San Miguel said that, based on official records, no competitive bidding as mandated by the Government Procurement Reform Act or R.A. 9184 was undertaken. Rather a negotiated mode of procurement was made with Dynamic Builders and Construction Company as the contractor for the project, he said.

San Miguel said records from the Department of Public Works and Highways reveal that the period of prosecution of the project was 150 calendar days running from Mar. 15 up to Aug. 13, 2006, long after the hosting of the 2005 SEAG by the City of Bacolod.

He said that, based on the record of DPWH, the rehabilitation of the PSC should have been completed by Aug. 13, 2006. However, during the same period the venue was inspected by a team from the Asian Football Federation led by executive secretary Dato Yap Nyim Keong for the then forthcoming Asean Football Championships Qualifying Tournament from Nov. 12 - 20, 2006 and was found to be unfit for international competition, he said.

San Miguel said the memorandum of agreement entered into, by, and between the Department of Education represented by Fe Hidalgo, in its capacity as owner of the PSC, and the BASOC, represented by its chairperson, Puentevella, as host of the international event, dated Sept. 28, 2005, very clearly stipulated that the BASOC shall raise the funds and take the lead in the rehabilitation of the sports complex.

Meanwhile, Puentevella said it was former DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane who asked the contractor to rehabilitate the PSC since there was no available fund yet.

He said it was Dynamic Builders who offered to do the work and that until now it has not yet been paid.

Puentevella said Ebdane had made the request in order to spare the country from embarrassment. He said those who want to question the project can go to DPWH in Manila.*CGS

back to top