Romel Collamar of the Technical Working Group of the bids and award committee approaches the BAC officials headed by City Engineer Jose Marie Poblete (center) Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos and Joey Daluz, vice chairman of the BAC as they examine some of the bidding documents of one of the construction firms in this September 30, 2014. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos has found an unexpected ally in her stand for transparency and accountability in the bidding for the first phase of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) project.
Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña said delos Santos made “diligent work” in spotting irregularities in the papers presented by WTG Construction and Development Corp. and A.M. Oreta, the lowest bidder in the project.
“The point is that nasakpan gyud sila (they were caught) because Mary Ann did a diligent work,” the former mayor said.
Delos Santos, former barangay Lahug chairperson, ran for mayor against Osmeña in the 2007 elections.
In a radio interview Osmeña said it’s up to the councilors under the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) if they would allow her to join them.
Rigged
“If they will tell me this is what they want, it’s fine with me,” he said.
WTG Construction and Development Corp. and A.M. Oreta Co. earlier challenged delos Santos’s inclusion in the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC). Delos Santos voted for the disqualification of WTG and A.M. Oreta from the hospital bidding.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama reiterated his confidence on delos Santos’s leadership of the CCMC adhoc committee and asked the disqualified contractor to answer accusations against them.
Osmeña said the controversies hounding the conduct of the hospital bidding no longer surprised him because the bidding process was already “rigged.”/ With reports from Correspondent Edison delos Angeles
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