Hilmarc's officials not off the hook in Makati Science High School Building charges
By Roel Tibay
Published Sep 4, 2018 08:16 pm
By Czarina Nicole Ong
Efren Canlas and Julius Ramos from Hilmarc’s Construction Corporation are not yet off the hook as the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division denied their motion for reconsideration seeking to quash charges involving the reportedly anomalous P1.3 billion procurement done for the Makati Science High School Building.
They are two of the several co-accused alongside former Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" Binay and his son, former Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay, who were charged with graft and falsification.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Canlas and Ramos filed an MR to the court's resolution on July 12 denying their separate motions to quash. They stressed that only public officers may be charged with graft and they denied allegations of conspiracy.
However, the Sandiganbayan denied their MR for lack of merit. "The arguments raised by the accused-movants are rehashes of their previous arguments which have been passed upon by the court in the questioned resolution," the resolution read. "For this reason alone, the motion for reconsideration fails."
Their claim that only public officers can be held liable for graft is "misleading," according to the court. "It is quite evident that the accused-movants are being charged as private individuals who allegedly conspired with public officers," the court explained.
The Sandiganbayan added that the allegation of conspiracy does not serve as a mode to convert their status from private individuals to public officers, and it is quite evident that they are being charged as private individuals who reportedly conspired with public officers.
The said building, which is located along Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City, was supposed to boast of 10 storeys with a four-storey dormitory. However, it was only completed as a 10-storey building.
It was on September 26, 2007 when the elder Binay, who was still mayor of Makati, entered into a P17.37 million contract with Infiniti for the Architectural & Engineering (A&E) consultancy services for the design of the Makati Science Building.
The contract was rigged with irregularities, such as the decision to go with negotiated procurement instead of competitive bidding, non-compliance with the required posting of the invitation to bid, and several misrepresentations regarding the alleged bid negotiations, submission and opening of bids.
Even though seven companies were invited to submit proposals on September 18, 2007, it appears the decision has already been made by Binay since the meeting with bidders only lasted for an hour before the bids and awards committee (BAC) decided to go with Infiniti. The following day, Binay officially awarded the contract to Infiniti.
Two witnesses from the architectural firms who were reportedly part of the conference even denied joining the bid negotiations and submitting proposals for the said project.
After the A&E phase of the project, Binay and several officials of Makati City Hall once again rigged the procurement processes for the construction of the Makati Science Building, which was divided into six phases from 2008 to 2013.
All of the phases were awarded to Hilmarc’s Construction at a total net cost of P1.33 billion by falsification of bidding documents, suppression of information to prospective bidders, and undue haste in the award of the contracts.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Canlas and Ramos filed an MR to the court's resolution on July 12 denying their separate motions to quash. They stressed that only public officers may be charged with graft and they denied allegations of conspiracy.
However, the Sandiganbayan denied their MR for lack of merit. "The arguments raised by the accused-movants are rehashes of their previous arguments which have been passed upon by the court in the questioned resolution," the resolution read. "For this reason alone, the motion for reconsideration fails."
Their claim that only public officers can be held liable for graft is "misleading," according to the court. "It is quite evident that the accused-movants are being charged as private individuals who allegedly conspired with public officers," the court explained.
The Sandiganbayan added that the allegation of conspiracy does not serve as a mode to convert their status from private individuals to public officers, and it is quite evident that they are being charged as private individuals who reportedly conspired with public officers.
The said building, which is located along Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City, was supposed to boast of 10 storeys with a four-storey dormitory. However, it was only completed as a 10-storey building.
It was on September 26, 2007 when the elder Binay, who was still mayor of Makati, entered into a P17.37 million contract with Infiniti for the Architectural & Engineering (A&E) consultancy services for the design of the Makati Science Building.
The contract was rigged with irregularities, such as the decision to go with negotiated procurement instead of competitive bidding, non-compliance with the required posting of the invitation to bid, and several misrepresentations regarding the alleged bid negotiations, submission and opening of bids.
Even though seven companies were invited to submit proposals on September 18, 2007, it appears the decision has already been made by Binay since the meeting with bidders only lasted for an hour before the bids and awards committee (BAC) decided to go with Infiniti. The following day, Binay officially awarded the contract to Infiniti.
Two witnesses from the architectural firms who were reportedly part of the conference even denied joining the bid negotiations and submitting proposals for the said project.
After the A&E phase of the project, Binay and several officials of Makati City Hall once again rigged the procurement processes for the construction of the Makati Science Building, which was divided into six phases from 2008 to 2013.
All of the phases were awarded to Hilmarc’s Construction at a total net cost of P1.33 billion by falsification of bidding documents, suppression of information to prospective bidders, and undue haste in the award of the contracts.