• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The House committee on public accounts has requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to look into the P1.1-billion mega infrastructure projects of Silay City in Negros Occidental government as the Land Bank of the Philippines suspended the release of more funds for the projects.
The congressional body itself is investigating these projects of the administration of Mayor Joedith Gallego funded by the state-owned bank.
The projects include the repair and rehabilitation of the Silay City public market and construction of the Silay City College, with a budget of P300 million each, and the construction of the New Government Center worth P500 million.
During the resumption of the inquiry conducted by the House committee on public accounts on Monday, Feb. 3, Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano said the COA will submit its report on its audit not later than March 31 this year.
Pending investigation on the three mega projects, the Land Bank of the Philippines representatives told the committee members that they suspended the release of more funds to the three projects.
The state-owned bank has already released more than P367 million funds to the three projects since last year.
With the suspension of the release of funds to all the projects, Paduano, who is the designated caretaker of the third district of Negros Occidental, including Silay City, said it is better not to proceed with the projects until the investigation is completed.
“If I’m Mayor Joedith, I will finish the election first as a sign goodwill to the investigation,” he added.
As to the allegation that they are opposing the projects, Paduano dismissed such claim, stressing that he is just doing his job like what he also did involving other local government units in the country.
Paduano noted the violations in the rehabilitation of the public market, being considered as a heritage site, as they also asked the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to confirm if the structure is indeed part of the cultural heritage site.
“You did not ask for clearance that you can demolish or develop a more than 50-year-old structure. Then the date when you asked for it was Aug. 8 last year, but the project already started earlier in March,” he stressed.
“It’s putting the cart before the horse. You can’t correct a wrongdoing with another wrongdoing,” Paduano added. | GB
