Charges Loom for Aguilar's LGU Exec. for Bid Doc. Anomaly

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – An official of the local government unit (LGU) of Aguilar, Pangasinan is being mulled to be complained criminally and administratively at the Ombudsman.

The source, who asked for anonymity, said that when he wanted to buy a bidding document for the Bids & Awards Committee (BAC) to competitively tender with those favored contractors of the allegedly power that be, the official gave him a runaround.

“Kasi Martes mayroon siyang DILG visitor, then the following day Miyerkules mayroon siyang appointment sa labas for project identification. So busy in short wala siyang appropriate time,” he stressed.

A file darkened photo of a whistle blower.

When the source asked the female executive to give him an available date and time for them to meet, he was told Thursday and Friday of this week.

Last Friday she was indisposed, the source said, that prompted him to report this anomaly to media men in this city.

He cited the department head should not deprive those contractors who are not friends of the administration there because the project is advertised at the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PHILGEPS).

The source wanted to bid cheaply to all contracts on infrastructure projects entered by the local government unit under Mayor Roldan C. Sagles.

“I supposed they are trying to evade all interested parties for their favored contractor,” he told reporters.

The malpractice about the bidding, he explained, those BAC members and favored contractors had already verbally agreed who handle the government project despite it is still subject for competitive bidding.

It is a violation of the Procurement Law of the country and the Anti-Graft & Corrupt Practices Act.

The source said he reported the purportedly anomalous misconduct because he wants to straighten what is wrong.

“Iyong baluktot itutuwid natin,” he said.   

According to the Local Government Code the municipal mayor shall act as the chairman of the Local Prequalification of the BAC with the following as members: (1) The chairman of the appropriations committee of the sanggunian concerned; (2) A representative of the minority party in the sanggunian concerned, if any, or if there be none, one (1) chosen by said sanggunian from among its members; (3) The local treasurer; (4) Two (2) representatives of nongovernmental organizations that are represented in the local development council concerned, to be chosen by the organizations themselves; and  (5) Any practicing certified public accountant from the private sector, to be designated by the local chapter of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, if any.

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