The Budget Committee of the City Council found discrepancies in the bill of payment of three suppliers of construction materials.
The committee also questioned the beneficiaries of projects that is sought to be funded by a 2103 appropriation for the development of resettlement sites for displaced informal settlers.
Councilor Margot Osmeña, chairperson of the Budget Committee said in a committee report she read during Wednesday’s session that while the summary of documents submitted only totals to P7.6 million, the three suppliers, namely Pentax Hardware Inc., Getty Construction and Centrade Hardware are claiming a totaling P8.8 million.
Unsigned, Undated
Osmeña’s report also noted that signatures appearing on the list of project beneficiaries “appear to be fraudulent” while approved Program of Work and Estimates (POWE) for the project were unsigned.
“All copies of the Acceptance and Inspection Reports were undated,” said Osmena’s report.
The allocation is to be spent on establishment of path walks and alleys, road rehabilitation, drainage or canal provision, septic tanks or cisterns, lighting system, toilets, fees for approval of plans and ground works among others.
Osmena’s budget committee asked City Hall offices involved in the construction materials purchase to review all documentary attachment and submit liquidation report that would support release of payment to the three suppliers.
Executive Order No. 13-2 was issued to make DWUP as the office primarily responsible for the implementation of the city’s site development program.
Not needed
Councilor Philip Zafra, the city’s Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) head, defended the purchase.
He said the council should no longer intervene on the purchase because EO No. 13-2 already provided guidelines on the use of the P50 million lump sum appropriation.
The 2013 budget ordinance allocated a lump sum appropriation of P50 million for site development that would be spent on the city’s resettlement areas located in north district – P30 million and south district – P20 million.
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