CEBU CITY – The mayor of Dalaguete in southern Cebu province is facing another complaint.
An engineer on Wednesday, October 16, asked the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) to investigate Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante for alleged irregularities in the conduct of a road concreting project in the town.
ENGR. Ildebrando Almagro shows the letter-complaint that he filed before the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas against Dalaguete, Cebu Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante. (Calvin D. Cordova)
Ildebrando Almagro questioned the use of the town’s equipment in the project even if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-funded project was awarded to private contractor Soccor Construction.
“I have been observing this road construction since it is very close to my house, therefore, I could monitor it every day. I took pictures of the workers, most of them I know personally to be employed by the municipality of Dalaguete,” Almagro said in his complaint.
Almagro alleged that construction work on the P9.5-million project on ML Quezon St. is supervised by Engr. Expeditas Lenares, the municipal engineer.
Although the road project is yet to be finished, Almagro said it is already showing severe scaling, an indication that substandard materials were used in the construction.
“Sir, this modus has to end. Our government is paying twice for one and the same project. Twice because first, our municipal government is spending for the project and second, the DPWH released the funding for the same project. Clearly, someone pocketed the funding from DPWH,” Almagro said in his letter-complaint addressed to NBI-7 Director Renan Oliva.
Almagro’s complaint came about a week after the NBI-7 filed a string of criminal charges against Cesante and nine other persons.
Complaints for graft and corrupt practices, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, and grave misconduct were filed against Cesante for the death of a construction worker in Dalaguete.
The NBI-7 said Cesante should be held liable for the death of Jerson Enseñares, who fell from about 30 feet while installing metal trusses of a multi-purpose building in Barangay Maluray last June.
Aside from Cesante, also charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide were the town’s municipal engineer Expedizitas Lenares and her personnel Engr. Fernando Armecin and Engr. Ernie Quilaton Amarado; Juan Paulo Castillo (junior project engineer, 2nd District Engineering Office); Peter Paul Dy Jr. (president, Power Frame Construction and Development Corp.); Arthur Kenneth Dy (vice president, Power Frame); Sally Marjorie Lugtu (treasurer, Power Frame); Mary Joy dela Cruz (secretary, Power Frame); and Henry Dy (member, Power Frame).
The NBI-7 investigated the Enseñales’ death after the victim’s family complained that he did not have safety gear like a hard hat or harness while working on the beam of the building.
The family also alleged that Enseñales was the town’s job-order worker who was deployed in the project that was awarded to a private contractor.
Cesante denied any wrongdoing in the fatal accident as he questioned the timing of the filing of the charges against him.
“It is not the first time that I was sued during election season,” he said in a statement. “These attacks are merely to discredit the progress we’ve built together isip usa ka ka naghiniiusa na lungsod (as a united municipality).”
Almagro clarified that his decision to file a complaint against Cesante has nothing to do with politics.
He said he decided to sue the mayor to stop the practice of utilizing municipality workers in projects that were awarded to private contractors.
“I am not a politician. I am not running for any position. I am doing this as a taxpayer and as a concerned resident of Dalaguete,” said Almagro.