CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Government’s legal office has begun investigating 15 infrastructure projects from the previous administration after finding missing or incomplete procurement records.
The projects, implemented in 2024, are being reviewed for possible referral to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Ombudsman as part of the current administration’s housekeeping efforts.
Lawyer Romielyn Macalinao, assistant legal counsel of the Provincial Legal Office, said that three of the 15 projects have “completely empty” records, with no project folders or documents located so far.
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“We have three projects that are completely empty, meaning we cannot locate the documents or project folders,” Macalinao said during a press conference on Monday, September 14.
Concrete lampposts from same contractor
The three projects have a combined estimated cost of about ₱7.7 million.
Two involve reinforced concrete lampposts. One covers 112 units in Asturias, Carmen, Barili, and Toledo, with an estimated cost of ₱550,000.
The other involves 466 units in Balamban and Toledo City, worth around ₱2.4 million.
Both projects were implemented by the same contractor, whose identity Macalinao declined to disclose to avoid preempting the formal investigation.
The third project involves the concreting of a road shoulder and road section in Aloguinsan, amounting to about ₱4.7 million.
Missing documents
A fourth project involves the concreting of a road section in Balamban, worth an estimated ₱1.9 million.
Its project folder has been located, although several documents remain missing.
The remaining 11 projects also have missing procurement records, including performance bonds, Contractor’s All Risks Insurance (CARI), and labor-related documents.
Macalinao said that the deficiencies may still be remedied if contractors can provide certified true copies of the missing documents from the concerned agencies.
Capitol seeks true copies
“If they can provide us with certified true copies proving that the documents do exist, then it can still be remedied, in case they were simply misplaced,” Macalinao said.
The legal office has also given former members and personnel of the previous Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) an opportunity to locate and submit the missing records.
Macalinao said that the current BAC inherited the documents without a formal turnover when Gov. Pamela Baricuatro assumed office. The governor’s term began at noon on June 30, 2025.
Some records were reportedly kept in off-site boxes and were not properly arranged, making them difficult for the current BAC and technical working group to locate.
Probe into Capitol personnel
“When the current BAC assumed office, they were given the documents as is. There was no formal or ceremonial turnover,” Macalinao said.
She added that the projects were implemented in 2024, with some already completed and others still unfinished.
The legal office is also looking into Capitol personnel who may be connected to the projects. Macalinao declined to identify those who could potentially be referred to the Ombudsman.
“We are looking into possible graft and corruption. But we don’t want to preempt the Ombudsman’s decision on this,” she said.
Deadline last September 11
The deadline for former BAC personnel and secretariat members to submit the missing documents was last Friday, September 11. Macalinao said that no further extension would be granted.
The investigation was formally ordered through a memorandum that Governor Baricuatro issued on July 28, 2025.
The Provincial Engineering Office subsequently issued suspension orders for the projects in September 2025. The dates varied depending on when the concerned parties received the orders.