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NEWS

Looted

WEDNESDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2008 | CEBU DAILY NEWS

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of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu where vehicles of heads of state and government passed to reach summit venues and their hotels. A P365-million contract to purchase China-made decorative streetlamps and streetlights is pending investigation. The Office of the Ombudsman is looking into allegations of overpricing of 1,860 decorative lampposts and 450 streetlights installed in the three Metro Cebu cities. “That is already part of our investigation. We are still waiting for the comment from DPWH and the contractors. There is a separate inquiry into why there are lampposts and streetlights installed in areas not part of the ceremonial route,” said Blazo. Agustinito Hermoso, DPWH legal officer in Central Visayas, confirmed that the streetlights in Punta Engaño were installed for the summit but he offered little more information, saying he would give his explanation to the Ombudsman-Visayas. He said he could not remember who the contractor was because all their records of all ASEAN-related projects were with the anti-graft office. But Hermoso said the DPWH would look into reported looting. Lapu-Lapu City Vice Mayor Mario Amores yesterday said he would raise the matter of the vandalized streetlights to the City Council. “It is also the responsibility of the city government to take care of the lampposts and streetlights because these are government properties and they are installed in the city,” he said. He said he wasn’t aware of the case in Punta Engaño and would ask the city engineering office to check it. Amores said the Lapu-Lapu city government wanted to accept the streetlights but felt awkward about doing so because the project was not yet

turned over to the DPWH by the contractor. Aside from the about 20 looted streetlights, the Ombudsman-Visayas is looking into the disappearance of 44 lampposts that were installed near the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge along A.C. Cortes Avenue in Mandaue City. Based on the contract between the DPWH and the suppliers, two contractors supplied the lampposts — Fabmik Construction and Equipment Co. Inc. and Gampik Construction and Development Inc. They installed about 300 decorative lamps worth P24 million along the Mandaue City causeway at the foot of the old Mactan-Mandaue bridge. Graft investigator Blazo said he was told by Mandaue city engineers that the Mandaue City causeway was the portion at the foot of the old MactanMandaue bridge. “We suspect that there were more than 44 lampposts that were removed. We also found out that some of the concrete foundations are no longer there. The rest were covered by a stock pile. We need to coordinate with DPWH because we have to verify if indeed there were 300 decorative lampposts installed along Mandaue City causeway,” he said. Blazo said DPWH officials were given until Friday to submit their written report about the missing lampposts. Hermoso of DPWH-7 said his office is already looking into the disappearance of the lampposts worth P9.856 million. He said they reported the loss of the lampposts to the Mandaue City Police Office yesterday so the record could be used as basis for filing theft cases. Hermoso said the lampposts are government property and cannot be removed without the DPWH’s consent especially with a pending case before the Ombudsman-Visayas.

LTO ... from p.2 counted that the clerks of the Management Information System (MIS) of LTO, who are tasked to input data into the computer, might have erroneously punched in the wrong data. Pulga said these clerks also have a lot of data to input in the computer on deadline. Cada compared the group’s data of registered vehicles and LTO data from MIS and showed the discrepancy in a letter-complaint sent to Finance Secretary Margarito Teves. Pulga admitted there were errors committed in their data and that all the registration heads in Central Visayas are now manu-

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ally counting all the motor vehicles registered in each agency from 2006 and 2007. She said that in Toledo City office’s case, the discrepancy was very glaring since it was highly impossible that there were no registrations for cars, SUVs and UVs in 2006. According to the report from the investigators from the Department of Transportation and Communic a t i o n s ( D O TC ) , t h e records of Toledo City showed that there were only two trucks that were registered in 2006. The same report said that the registration rose in 2007 to 3,906 which according to the investigators

pansion plans after reading a newspaper story where one senator promised to file a bill that will double the minimum wage. Osmeña said another investor also complained that his factory operation was delayed as raw materials were not brought out of the port. “No one in Customs wanted to work over time.” In the same event, Osmeña blamed business groups for poor investment promotions and limited business opportunities in the countryside in the 1990s, which prompted him to help put up the Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC). The CIPC is currently the marketing arm of the South Road Properties (SRP). “Now it is good that we are seeing a good shift whether it's Suroy-Suroy of the province or any activities

that benefits the countryside,” he said. The mayor also noted the city's policy direction of addressing traffic problems. “Much of Cebu's problems are associated with problems of growth. The truth of the matter is that we have all kinds of master plans, what we need is a band-aid. The flyover is that band-aid,” he said. Osmeña was referring to the earlier statement of Cebu Business Club president Dondi Joseph that Banilad flyover was just a band-aid solution to the city's traffic problem. Osmeña also announced that the SRP will be in “full bloom” in the succeeding months and will generate new revenues for the city. “We have utang (debt) of five billion (pesos) but with these developments, we will

be able to handle that. Let us be sensitive so that these developments will go back to those who own it, the people of Cebu,” he said. Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was also present during the CBM 2008 launching. The governor, however, left immediately after delivering her message, two speakers before Osmeña, to catch flight to Manila. The CBM 2008 is an annual celebration that promotes trade and industry in Cebu and neighboring provinces through exhibits, conferences and business matching. This year, CCCI focuses on four advocacies — information and communication technology, entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises development and tourism.

Gradual ... from p.2

er cranes are done at the WTG yards in barangay Pardo, Cebu City. Semilla said that about 24 girders measuring 40 meters in length each are being pre-fabricated before they will be installed at the construction. Traffic enforcer Edgardo Tanaya said that to facilitate the flow of traffic motorists from Talamban were allowed to pass the inner northbound lane yesterday. He said the traffic flow was still manageable despite the closure of one lane. On the overtime pay of traffic enforcers deployed at the flyover project, lawyer Agustinito Herwas highly improbable. moso of the Department Pulga said that the data of Public Works and Highof DOTC and Toledo City ways (DPWH), said that in 2007 must be reconciled the department will pay for since based on the recent records from the LTO Cen- Romualdo, House comtral Office it showed that mittee chairman on good the registration made in government, yesterday said the district last year was that they directed former only 2,365. LTO Toledo City chief “I am not really sure Paden to testify today. which is also right because Romualdo said he was based on our records now, also expecting Aguilos, Toledo City has only 2,365 Pulga and District Collecmotor vehicles registered tor Ricardo Belmonte to be which is not reflective of present during today's the data from DOTC. We hearing. were given 10 days to subCustoms Commissioner mit our report and correct Napoleon Morales, Usec whatever errors committed Antonio Villar of the Presand I think we can submit idential Anti-Smuggling it to the committee on Feb. Group and LTO chief Al16,” he said. bert Suansing are also exCamiguin Rep. Pedro pected to attend today, he

the overtime of the traffic enforcers if WTG could no longer cover the excess. “Just remember that WTG went down P16 million from the original cost of the project. If they could not afford to pay the excess, the DPWH will pay. It will only need a memorandum of agreement between the local government agency and the department to release the money," he said. Hermoso also said that some of the private lot owners have signified intention to negotiate with DPWH as to the Road Right of Way where the department needs to widen more than 7,000 square meters of private lot to be used as service roads. Meanwhile, Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama said he will try to find out

if the city has extra sodium lamps and give them to the Mandaue City government. Rama said he wanted these lamps installed in the diversion roads in Mandaue City which will be affected with heavy traffic due to the flyover project. The diversion roads include M.L. Quezon and Hernan Cortes Streets in Mandaue City. Rama said the sodium lamps installed in unlighted areas in the diversion roads will help deter crime which is expected with the increase in traffic in the area. He said that aside from this, most of the motorists passing in these streets are Cebu City residents. / C O R-

said. Romualdo said that there were several things that were established in the past two hearings in Congress. These are the discrepancy over the data on registration of motor vehicles, DOTC findings on some irregularities committed in some LTO district offices and the alleged accomplishment reports of PASG. “We would be finding out in today's hearing if these allegations are indeed true. The allegations of

PASG that there are hot cars irregularly registered, that can be known today and all those other allegations raised,” he said. PASG Visayas chief of staff Ricardo Collantes also said yesterday that they have established 15 of the hot cars and have coordinated with LTO and found them to be irregularly registered. Collantes said they will confiscate these 15 questionable cars should they be seen plying the streets of Cebu. / C O R R E S P O N D E N T J O-

R E S P O N D E N T J O L E N E R . B ULAMBOT WITH A REPORT FROM C O R R E S P O N D E N T C H R I S A . L I GAN

LENE R . BU LAMBOT