P2M per camera for Asean meet? Graft probers smell overprice
By Jolene Bulambot
Inquirer
Last updated 01:29am (Mla time) 03/31/2007
CEBU CITY—Graft investigators are also looking into what could be another scam in projects related to the 12th Asean summit held here, this time involving surveillance cameras that could have cost the government at least P2 million each from a total budget of P90 million.
Virginia Palanca-Santiago, acting deputy Ombudsman, said the anti-graft office would look into allegations that the surveillance cameras installed in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-lapu and Mandaue were also overpriced.
The government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, bought 42 surveillance cameras that were installed in the Asean ceremonial routes—the streets traversed by heads of state and delegates.
The P90 million budget means that each of the 42 pieces of surveillance cameras cost the government P2.14 million each.
The investigation came after Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez ordered the Ombudsman Visayas to expand the scope of its investigation to include other projects undertaken for the summit mainly by the DPWH, which received P1.5 billion for various summit beautification projects.
But it was also prompted by the claim of local businessman Crisologo Saavedra, the whistleblower in the P365-million lamppost scam, that the surveillance cameras were overpriced, too.
Saavedra was, however, a losing bidder in the surveillance camera project.
His firm, Pelican/Cebesos Development Corp., lost to Manila-based Triton Communications, but he kept saying his bid was lower. He was accused of failing to deliver the cameras after winning the bid.
Investigators from the Presidential Anti Graft Commission (PAGC) were told by Philippine National Police officials in Cebu that the PNP officials have not yet signed the papers signifying that they were accepting the Triton cameras because those that have been delivered did not match specifications.
Some of the surveillance cameras, it was learned, were not functioning and some units were transferred to traffic intersections because a piece of equipment that should be used together with the cameras and pieces of radio communications has not arrived.
Though some of the cameras did not function during the Asean summit, the Department of Budget and Management still released P61 million to their supplier, Triton.
Santiago said another P21 million was to be released as a second payment to the firm.
Santiago said officials of the DPWH ignored several calls from Ombudsman investigators inquiring into the status of the P21 million balance payment.
"It seems they're (DPWH officials) eluding us," said Santiago.
She said she would ask Ombudsman Gutierrez to issue another order stopping the release of the P21 million.
"We called up DBM but as of this time, there is no fund yet for the release of the P21 million. Precisely, we want to know from DPWH if they will be the one to release the fund but they were not cooperating. In view of this, we would be constrained to ask for the (cease and desist) order. It is safer that way than not knowing that 21 million would be released anytime," Santiago said.
An official of DPWH Central Visayas, who refused to be named, confirmed that the agency already paid 80 percent of the P90 million budget for the surveillance cameras.
The official said the agency would pay the remaining 20 percent after the final inspection and formal turnover of the surveillance cameras to the police regional office.
Chief Supt. Silverio Alarcio, head of the police regional office, said a team from the PNP, DPWH and Commission on Audit would conduct a final inspection before the PNP formally accepts the project. With reports from Suzzane Salva-Alueta, Cebu Daily News
2 Million Pesos per Surveillance Cameras??
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