COLLUDING RIVALS? Mayor Cris Garbo and former Mayor Boking Morales
MABALACAT CITY — Veteran broadcaster and Mabalacat mayoral bet Diosdado “Deng” Pangilinan expressed fear of what he called “Garbo-Boking collusion” over the P92-million city funds flagged by the Commission on Audit as having been spent for “non-existent” projects.
Pangilinan was referencing incumbent Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo and his immediate predecessor Marino “Boking” Morales
In a notice of disallowance in August 2018, COA said the payments made by the Mabalacat local government to A.L. Dare Construction for slope protection works along Sapang Balen and Quitangil creeks in 2016, when Morales was mayor, violated procurement rules.
COA noted that the contractor under Morales claimed to have spent on four projects namely the first Phase Sapang Balen Creek project costing P22,443,500; the last phase of Sapang Balen Creek project costing P39,985,500; the first phase of the Quitangil Creek project costing P17,382,700; and the last phase of the Quitangil Creek project costing P18,885,000.
COA said the projects were “duplication of DPWH projects of Pampanga’s 3rd Engineering District.” It also cited the “ineligibility of the lone bidder and eventual contract awardee for non-compliance with various government requirements, such as complete set of approved plans, technical specifications, bill of quantities by the bidder, and BAC resolution recommending the award.” It noted “irregularities in the conduct of bidding and in the bidding documents.”
“These are all mandatory requisites and requirements under Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act,” COA said.
COA then asked for the refund of the P92 million to the local government coffers, giving Morales, city hall employees involved and the private contractor six months within which to return the amount or file an appeal. The respondents reportedly opted to file an appeal even as the six-month period is about to expire.
Plunder
In January 2019, plunder charges were filed in the Ombudsman against Morales and other respondents by two officers of the Mabalacat City Traffic Enforcement Group (MCTEG) on the case of P92-million ghost projects.
Serving as the legal counsel for the complainants, city administrator Atty. Emmanuel Ignacio was cited in an interview with Punto as saying that the criminal case was based on findings of a probe he headed in 2018 indicating that “some P92 million worth of infrastructure projects reported by the Morales administration were actually projects funded and done by the DPWH.”
Ignacio clarified that the COA case was civil in nature and aimed only at returning the P92 million to government coffers.
“The criminal case is in our hands as taxpayers and that is what we have filed before the Ombudsman,” he added. “The criminal aspect of the case has been in our hands all along but we filed it only now.”
It can be recalled that Ignacio came with Garbo when he assumed the city mayorship in June 2017 after Mortales was unseated by the Commission on Elections for overstaying in office beyond the three-term limit.
Failure to collect
In a press statement, Pangilinan said that “as local chief executive of Mabalacat City, Garbo has failed to compel Morales to return the P92 million spent on the non-existent projects at the Sapang Balen and Quitangil creeks.”.
“Pinotrektahan ni Garbo si Boking sa P92 million ghost projects kaysa sa ipaglaban ang interes ng Mabalacat, dahil ang utos ng COA kay Garbo ay ibalik yong P92 milyong pondo na binulsa ni Boking sa dalawang pekeng proyekto,” Pangilinan claimed.
“This apparent collusion between Garbo and Morales is detrimental to the Mabalacat City government and the people because millions of pesos are unaccounted for,” he added.
“Kaya hindi gumalaw ang kaso ng plunder na isinampa laban kay Boking at hindi naibalik yong P92 milyon dahil sa sabwatan ni Garbo at Boking,” said Pangilinan. “The GarBoking collusion over the COA findings is alarming.”
According to the Pangilinan, “What former Mayor Boking and his cohorts did was direct stealing of public money and this is plunder and a non-bailable case and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.”
Furthered the broadcast journalist: “Kung peke ang projects na sinasabi ng COA nasaan ang P92 milyon? Ibig sabihin ninakaw nila ang pera dahil wala naman palang nangyari proyekto sa ilalim ng kanyang (Boking) administrasyon. Maaring kasabwat din si Garbo dahil wala ginawa aksyon para habulin si Boking.”
No Comment
Apprised of the issue and asked for its response, the Mabalacat City Government through the city information office told Punto! over the phone that it opted not to comment at this time.
