We are elated no end by the tremendous support we got from practically all quarters regarding our expose' of a highly anomalous, grossly irregular road contracts in the third congressional district. This came about even as some villainous characters tried to shot down our initiatives by insinuating that we are not motivated by public service in exposing venalities in the government but that “we were working hard for the money”. For God's sake we are not distracted in any way in this crusade even if the sailing is rough in ferreting out those responsible in manipulating the bidding of the contracts which was only bagged by only one contractor.The contractor in question is the Manila-based Pershan Construction Co.

We are eternally grateful to Cong. Eladio Jala in whose district the anomalous projects are implemented for his concern that the contracts would not go in the way of other projects who were abandoned by the contractors. The third district solon assured us that he gave instructions to Engr. Aramis Torrefranca, district engineer of the Guindulman-based engineeriug district to keep a tight monitoring watch so that the contractor will have no way in making foolishness out of bagging the four contracts at one time. Kudos also went to Gov. Erico Aumentado who also showed his vigilance to have the project subjected to the full sunlight of scrutiny. Just like any official in the province, the governor suspected that there are some people in the regional office of the DPWH during the time of Regional Director Juanito Abergas who were trying to put one over the Boholanos in the prosecution of the projects and the choice of the favored contractor.

In fact, no less than the governor himself who prodded the local contractors to file a case before the Ombudsman against the perpetrators of the road scam. Cong. Edgar Chaato of the first district also joined into the act when he also called for an investigation involving the same contractor who won the contract to undertake the P40 million asphalting project of the Panglao Circumferential Road. The young first district lawmaker was reacting to a report by ex-Panglao mayor Dodong Alcala that he saw for himself that crush stones were not provided in the base course preparations of the project especially in the Doljo-Tangnan part of the project.

The DPWH reaction regarding Chatto's complaint was swift. The DPWH immediately sent Asst. Regional Director Gloria Denden to verify the Alcala report and made a sampling of the matting process of the project. It was found out by those who witnessed the testing by carving out a one square meter portion of the questionable project that indeed there were no crush stones being used as contracting material to road aggregates like anapog. With Bohol officials giving their best shots to guard the people's money from unscrupulous contractors, we can be assured that those who mess up with projects assigned to them will have to pay a high price. The price of vigilance is at least at work here.