2 Cebu mayors, 17 others suspended for lampposts
AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV
03/29/2007 | 03:02 PM
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/36226/2-...-for-lampposts
The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday issued a six-month preventive suspension order against two mayors in Cebu and 17 other officials of Lapu-lapu and Mandaue as well as employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways Region 7 in connection with the alleged overpriced lammposts in the province.
The said lampposts were acquired in time for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in the province last January.
Radio station dzBB identified among those
recommended for suspension were Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza.
Also ordered suspended were officer-in-charge Engr. Hidelisa Latonio, asst. City Engr. Gregorio Omo, and Engrs. Mario Gerolaga, Alfredo Sanchez Sr, and Rosalina Denque, all of Mandaue City ; City Engr. Julito Cuizon, asst. City Engr. Fernando Tagaan Jr and Engr. Rogelio Veloso, all of Lapu-Lapu City.
Others were DPWH Region VII Dir. Robert Lala, Former Asst, Reg. Dir. Gloria Dindin, Asst. Reg. Dir. Marlina Alvizo, OIC-Chief Maintenance Div. Pureza Fernandez, OIC-Asst. Chief Maintenance Div. Cresencio Bagolor, Reg. Legal Officer Agustinito Hermoso, Planning and Design Div. Chief Luis Galang, Administrative Div. Chief Restitutio Diano, and Construction div. chief Buenaventura Pajo.
An investigating team from the Office of the Ombudsman earlier pushed for a 120-day suspension on top of other sanctions against the two mayors for their alleged hand in the procurement of P365.8 million worth of alleged overpriced lampposts.
Regional director Roberto Lala of the Department of Public Works and highways, two assistant regional directors and two city engineers also stand to be meted similar punishments.
Investigators also recommended charges against Gampik Construction and Development Corp. and Fabmik Construction and Equipment Co., two firms which installed the 2,310 lampposts .
As part of its deliverables for the project, Fabmik supplied 300 lampposts at P85,000 each; 89 pieces at P224,000 each; and 140 streetlamps costing a total of P44.9 million.
The lampposts were put up along the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu to supposedly help put up a glitzy facade for visiting Asean heads of state.
The DPWH already released 85 percent of the P120-million lampposts contract to the two suppliers for the supply and installation of the lampposts in Cebu and Mandaue cities. - GMANews.TV