Decorative Grasping Lamplights At Mandaue

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez last week issued a "cease and desist" order preventing the Dept. of Budget and Management (DBM) from releasing more than P3 million to the contractors of the controversial decorative lamp posts used during the recent ASEAN summit in Cebu City.
In a two-page order, Ombudsman Gutierrez directed the DBM "to cease and desist from releasing any amount relative to the above mentioned projects to Fabmik Construction and Equipment Co., and Gampik Construction and Development, Inc. and any other company or person, while this issue of alleged overpricing of the decorative lamp posts and street lightings is still under investigation."
The Office of the Ombudsman – Visayas is conducting a fact-finding investigation into the alleged overpricing of the decorative lamp posts and street lightings that were set up along the ceremonial route of the ASEAN Summit in Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-lapu City on January 10-15, 2007.
Ombudsman Gutierrez had ordered Officer-in-Charge Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Virginia Santiago to fly to Manila to report to her the progress of the fact-finding investigation.
OIC-DO Santiago said they had been conducting marathon conferences on the complaint and had gathered documents with the Bureau of Customs (BOC), DPWH, and the DBM.
On the other hand, in their meeting with DBM officials, they stated that they will soon release the remaining amount of P3,141,388.37 representing the Retention Money for the first phase of the project to the two contractors.
OIC-DO Santiago said, "We are now evaluating the evidence to finally determine if indeed there is probable cause to proceed with a preliminary investigation on the complaint."
However, to protect the interest of the government, Ombudsman Gutierrez immediately issued a cease and desist order to prevent the DBM from releasing the said amount while the office of the Ombudsman is conducting an investigation into the complaint.
Juan L. Mercado, in his "The grasping Lamplights" published in the Tacloban Star on March 17, 2007 issue, Ombudsman Visayas froze payment for P120 million worth of ASEAN Summit decorative street lamps. Fabmik Construction and Equipment Corp. and Gampik Construction dunned Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-lapu from P94,000 to P224,000 for a lamp.
In Naga Town, the same lamp cost P16,000. But it was Mayor Tomas Osmeña who triggered the probe saying: Cebu could get those lamps for P30,000 each.
According to Mercado, "Whatever you feed greed is never enough." Mandaue didn’t heed the 2003 a Commission on Audit reprimand for "excessive and extravagant" purchase of 105 street lamps for P110,000 each.
This time, Mandaue outdid itself. It snapped up 124 at P224,000 each. "That’s plunder", Osmeña muttered. /MP