Charges recommended vs. NHA officials over Yolanda housing mess
Published Oct 9, 2019 02:16 pm
By Czarina Nicole Ong-Ki
The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) yesterday recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman the filing of criminal and administrative charges against 12 National Housing Authority (NHA) officials due to the reported anomalies in the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP).
Office of the Ombudsman (MANILA BULLETIN)
Typhoon Yolanda struck the country on November 8, 2013 and claimed over 6,000 lives and destroyed billions of pesos worth of property. In order to help the citizens' housing woes, the government implemented the YPHP and hired J.C. Tayag Builders Inc. (JCTBI) with a total contract cost of P741.53 million.
PACC Chairman Dante Jimenez said that only 36 housing units, or 1.41 percent of the awarded units, were completed when the contracts were terminated on November 2017. This sluggish completion rate disregarded the fact that JCTBI was already paid P111.23 million or around 15 percent of the agreed contract price.
After starting its own investigation into the matter, Jimenez said the PACC found that the NHA officials, who refused to be named, gave unwarranted benefits and advantage to JCTBI, since the company fraudulently misrepresented its technical capacity to the government.
They are former NHA General Manager and procuring entity head Atty. Sinforoso R. Pagunsan, Assistant General Manager and bids and awards committee (BAC) chairperson Froilan Kampitan, BAC vice chairman Ma. Alma Valenciano, and BAC members Lorna Seraspe, Eleanor Balatbat, Susana V. Nonato and Romuel P. Alimboyao, as well as technical working group (TWG) members Engineer Alvin Rey Calbario and Grace Guevara. BAC 2 Chairperson Victor Balba, BAC 2 vice chairman Felicisimo F. Lazarte Jr., and member Ma. Magdalena D. Siacon were also included.
Jimenez wants these officials charged for violation of Section 8 of R.A. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Sections 3(e) and (g) of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and R.A. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act.
"Section 5(e) of Executive Order No. 73 (s. 2018), amending Executive Order No. 43 (s. 2017), vested upon this Commission the power, after due investigation, to recommend to the President the filing of appropriate criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman or Department of Justice, or otherwise refer such cases for appropriate action to these offices," Jimenez wrote in his letter to Ombudsman Samuel Martires.
Jimenez added that the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development already uncovered this anomaly during a hearing on September 2017. However, no legal actions were undertaken.
This is why the PACC took it upon itself to conduct its own investigation and handle the complaints from the people of Region VIII. Jimenez made a promise that they will see through this investigation "until it reaches the brains behind this Yolanda housing fiasco."
Jimenez also said that he will be returning to Tacloban this Friday in order to update the victims regarding the recommendation of charges.
Office of the Ombudsman (MANILA BULLETIN)
Typhoon Yolanda struck the country on November 8, 2013 and claimed over 6,000 lives and destroyed billions of pesos worth of property. In order to help the citizens' housing woes, the government implemented the YPHP and hired J.C. Tayag Builders Inc. (JCTBI) with a total contract cost of P741.53 million.
PACC Chairman Dante Jimenez said that only 36 housing units, or 1.41 percent of the awarded units, were completed when the contracts were terminated on November 2017. This sluggish completion rate disregarded the fact that JCTBI was already paid P111.23 million or around 15 percent of the agreed contract price.
After starting its own investigation into the matter, Jimenez said the PACC found that the NHA officials, who refused to be named, gave unwarranted benefits and advantage to JCTBI, since the company fraudulently misrepresented its technical capacity to the government.
They are former NHA General Manager and procuring entity head Atty. Sinforoso R. Pagunsan, Assistant General Manager and bids and awards committee (BAC) chairperson Froilan Kampitan, BAC vice chairman Ma. Alma Valenciano, and BAC members Lorna Seraspe, Eleanor Balatbat, Susana V. Nonato and Romuel P. Alimboyao, as well as technical working group (TWG) members Engineer Alvin Rey Calbario and Grace Guevara. BAC 2 Chairperson Victor Balba, BAC 2 vice chairman Felicisimo F. Lazarte Jr., and member Ma. Magdalena D. Siacon were also included.
Jimenez wants these officials charged for violation of Section 8 of R.A. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Sections 3(e) and (g) of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and R.A. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act.
"Section 5(e) of Executive Order No. 73 (s. 2018), amending Executive Order No. 43 (s. 2017), vested upon this Commission the power, after due investigation, to recommend to the President the filing of appropriate criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman or Department of Justice, or otherwise refer such cases for appropriate action to these offices," Jimenez wrote in his letter to Ombudsman Samuel Martires.
Jimenez added that the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development already uncovered this anomaly during a hearing on September 2017. However, no legal actions were undertaken.
This is why the PACC took it upon itself to conduct its own investigation and handle the complaints from the people of Region VIII. Jimenez made a promise that they will see through this investigation "until it reaches the brains behind this Yolanda housing fiasco."
Jimenez also said that he will be returning to Tacloban this Friday in order to update the victims regarding the recommendation of charges.