“Go ahead file a case”

4 more projects in 3rd worth P92-M now open for bidding

Visibly piqued by the turn of events in his own turf regarding prosecution of projects, Gov. Erico Aumentado called on local contractors Friday to file a case against those responsible behind the negotiated bidding involving four road projects in the third district and won only by one contractor. This developed even as the Post learned yesterday that four more projects in the same district worth more than P90 million were already publicized and now open for competitive bidding.

The governor was reacting to media questions during Friday's Governor's Report where he was appraised of the transaction resulting in the bagging of the four road contracts by Manila-based construction outfit Pershan Construction. The contract was sealed through negotiated bidding using the coming 12th Asean Summit in December in Cebu City as one of the justifications. It was the same construction company that won the bid to undertake an asphalting project in the Panglao Circumferential Road .

An eagle-eyed former mayor Benedicto Alcala noticed that the contractor did away with the use of crush stones in the base course preparations in the Doljo-Tangnan part of the project. District Engineer Celestino Adlaon asked for an inspectorate from the Cebu DPWH to verify the complaint of Alcala. The inspectorate and an engineer from Pershan Construction did confirm that no crush stones were used in the matting preparations of the road project because “it was too expensive”

ANOMALOUS

Calling the negotiated contract as highly anomalous and irregular, the governor challenged members of the Bohol Contractors Association to get a good lawyer and file a case against the perpetrators of the road scam. The Post broke the exclusive story in its issue last week. The story detailed how the regional office of the department of public works and highways kept from public view the P64 million worth of projects scattered in four locations in the third district. Earlier, in an interview with third district solon Cong. Eladio Jala, he feigned ignorance about how the bidding was conducted although he admitted that it was his office which requested for the implementation of the project. He also denied having a hand in the choice of the contractor. Contacted during DYTR's Cuentas Claras last week, DPWH Director Robert Lala confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the deal saying that under Republic Act 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Law, an alternative mode of procurement is allowed. At the same time, Director Lala also invoked the coming Asean Summit in Cebu as justification of the negotiated bidding. But Gov. Aumentado wondered aloud why on earth was the Asean Summit used to justify the negotiated character of the contracts. The controversial road projects are: Improvement/Concrete Paving along Buenavista-Carmen-Danao-Getafe Road; Improvement/Concrete Paving of Carmen-Sagbayan-Bacani Road; Improvement/Concrete Paving of Dat-an Carmen-Sierra Bullones-Alicia Road; and Improvement/Concrete Paving of Junction Jagna-Sierra Bullones Road.

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

Just what kind of weather that prodded the DPWH regional office from suddenly altering the conduct of bidding of the four additional projects also in Jala's district surprised some members of the contractors' group. In a matter of one week, the DPWH regional office changed course in its bidding rules-- from negotiated to open and competitive bidding. While before the DPWH did away with publication of the four road contracts, this time bidding of the four additional projects worth more than P90 million was duly publicized in a newspaper of national circulation. The biggest outlay of the four additional projects is P38,772,911 earmarked for roadway excavation, base preparation, concrete pavement, RCPC installation, slope protection and installation of metal guardrail in the Junction Jagna-Sierra Bullones Road . The opening of bids is scheduled on Dec. 19, 2006 . The bidding will be held at the DPWH regional office in Cebu. Another project up for bidding is the P30,678,246 which involves the improvement/concrete paving of Junction Dat-an-Carmen-Sierra Bullones-Pilar-- Alicia Road. The opening of bids in Cebu is on Dec. 20,2006. The P14,162,502 project which is the improvement/concrete paving of Carmen-Bacane-Sagbayan Road which local contractors believed to be bidded here will still be open for bidding in Cebu. The opening of bids is slated on Dec. 18. Only the P8,822,499 for improvement/concrete paving of the existing gravel section along Loay Interior Road will be bidded at the 2nd highway engineering district in Guindulman.

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