• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Mayor Renato Gustilo of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental said he is willing to appear in a Senate inquiry, if invited, to shed light on the P306.4-million “ghost” flood control projects in his locality.
His signature was forged in the documents of three contractors from northern Luzon, which supposedly entered into contracts with the city government, his spokesman Jose Recalex Alingasa Jr. said on Tuesday (Aug. 26).
“If it will shed light, in aid of investigation and legislation, the mayor is willing to appear,” Alingasa said.
Gustilo earlier sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation on the forging of his signature on the Notice of Awards, Notice to Proceed, Contract of Agreement, Certificate of Completion and Acceptance, and Certificate of Final Acceptance on the alleged flood control projects in Palampas, Jigalaman, and Ando-on Rivers.
Based on the investigation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineering Office, Gustilo said they denied the existence of such projects allegedly being implemented by the three contractors.
“These anomalous ghost projects involving millions or even billions of pesos perpetrated by DPWH personnel in cahoots with unscrupulous contractors must be thoroughly investigated so that those responsible will be flushed out and be held accountable,” Gustilo said in his letter dated Aug. 18 addressed to NBI Director Jaime Santiago.
Alingasa said they have yet to receive a reply from the NBI.
He also clarified that Gustilo has no problem with the DPWH Fifth District Engineering Office as they coordinated with him every time they have projects in San Carlos City.
While there are flood control projects in San Carlos City, these are not handled by the companies mentioned in the documents claiming to be the contractors, he added.
Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday announced that subpoenas for contractors and officials linked to alleged ghost and substandard flood control projects have been signed and are expected to be served within the week. | GB
