House inquiry on Silay infra projects ‘anomaly’ set Nov.

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• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

Partylist Representative Stephen Joseph Paduano, the caretaker of the Negros Occidental Third District, said on Monday, Sept. 30, that the House committee on public accounts, which he chairs, will conduct an inquiry in November on the alleged anomalies in the procurement and irregular enactment of local measures by the Silay City government.

In a recent privilege speech at the House of Representatives, Paduano of Abang Lingkod Partylist, said it has come to his attention that the Silay City government, led by Mayor Joedith Gallego, has approved local measures that are allegedly laden with discrepancies, irregularities, and evident partiality.

“These acts are particularly concerning as it involved misuse of public funds that, if not exposed, would cause undue burden and irreparable injury to the constituents of Silay City,” he added.

He was apparently referring to the repair, rehabilitation and renovation of the city public market, with a budget of P300 million, and the construction of the P500- million new City Hall.

Gallego maintained that everything was complied with, and the procedures were followed, as mandated by law.

“It’s trial by publicity and a demolition job because elections are near,” the mayor said.

He added that it is also “political harassment” as he dismissed the allegations as baseless.

“That’s the flimsy excuse of all local government units na gin hear ko (which my committee heard)”, Paduano said in response to claims of political harassment.

“You defend, you explain to your people and to the public, all of these allegations,” he told Gallego.

“It’s not between me and Mayor Joedith. It’s all between him and the complainants,” he added.

Paduano said that Gallego has to face the inquiry as a resource person and a witness, noting that his committee also conducted probes against local government executives in Batangas, Laguna and New Mexico in Pampanga.

“So, why not in my province,” he added. | GB