Construction firms tied to Uswag Ilonggo solon bag P100-B budget insertion projects
By Tara Yap
ANG
ILOILO CITY – Two construction companies formerly linked to Uswag Ilonggo party-list Rep. James “Jojo” Ang Jr. are among the contractors that bagged contracts in the alleged P100-billion budget insertions this year revealed by former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
They are Iloilo-based International Builders Corp. (IBC) and Allencon Development Corp., both owned by Ang’s uncle Alfonso “Ponso” Tan.
Prior to winning a congressional seat as first nominee of Uswag Ilonggo in 2022, Ang was publicly known to be dealing with local officials across the region on behalf of IBC.
The Jingle Global Enterprise website separately listed Ang as Allencon’s contact person.
Based on Co’s 19-page list released on Friday, IBC won two contracts in Antique province worth a total of P221.75 million – the preventive road maintenance for Bantayan-San Pedro-Cubay Road worth P128.15 million and P93.60 million, respectively.
Allencon secured three contracts in Antique worth P86 million. These are for road asphalt overlay worth P39.48 million, P28.75 million, and more than P18 million respectively.
Both projects of IBC and Allencon were implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Antique District Engineering Office.
In Antique, IBC and Allencon had five of the six projects in Co’s list.
The sixth project was undertaken by J.E. Tico Contractor. Its owners are also linked to Uswag Ilonggo party-list as Genevieve Tico Salcedo is listed as the sixth nominee in the May elections.
During the Friday hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and his wife Sarah listed Ang in their ledger to have received kickbacks from flood control projects.
Ang has not issued any recent public statements but he denied the allegations against him last September.