Fictitious Contracted Services In The City Of Manila Questioned By The Commission On Audit

The Commission on Audit filed a two-page notice of disallowance last October 29, 2009 against some of the government officials in the city of Manila. The notice was filed after it was found that the claims for the consultancy payment of the 21 consultants, who were supposedly appointed to work at the office of the mayor, were deficient. However, based from the results of the audit prepared by Domingo C. Bocalan Jr., State Auditor IV, the submitted vouchers or payrolls for the period covering July1, 2007 to June 30, 2009 for alleged contracted services were void and that the supposed 21 consultants were fictitious employees. The illegal transaction was said to have cost the city the amount of P5,058,000.00.

Mayor Alfredo Lim claimed in his affidavit that he have no idea about the said anomalous transaction, which in turn reinforced the Commission on Audit file the notice of disallowance against the involved officials. The Mayor also added that he never signed any contract related to the purported services nor did he granted the payment for the supposed 21 consultants. Lim's statement were further reinforced by three of his office staff. The three office staff who supported the mayor's statement were Rowena Senatin, Helen Natividad and Arturo Mijares.

According to the officials, the names of the consultants that appeared in the payrolls that was submitted to them by some of the members of the accounting and property division of the city of Manila were not included in the list of consultants that were employed by the mayor. Senatin, Natividad and Mijares confirmed that the name Nelson Del Mundo as well as the other alleged consultants was fictitious. This particular government anomaly is just one of the corrupt practices plaguing Manila's local government. Likewise, this transaction was not necessarily carried out to help the city but a mere justification for the involved personnel to acquire personal gains.

Eleven officials from the accounting and property division of the local government of Manila were named as the persons liable for the said anomalous transaction. The named officials were Pacifico Lagramada, Yolanda Ignacio, Marleen Young, Gloria Quilantang, Vicky Valientes, Erlinda Marteja, Philip Cabalun II, Cherry Chan, Alicia Moscaya, Fritz Noel Borres, and Rodelio Leyson. The said individuals were responsible for facilitating the payment of the fictitious 21 consultants worth P5,058,000.00 without rendering actual services. Mayor Alfredo Lim and the affidavit of his staffs attested the involvement of the said personnel.

Bocolan recommended in the notice of disallowance that the identified perpetrators from the accounting and property division of the city of Manila to refund the full amount of P5,058,000.00. The said amount was representative of the payment of salaries of the fictitious consultants, who were supposedly contracted by the city mayor. The notice of disallowance given by the Commission on Audit is final and executory under the law, and can only be appealed by the involved participants in the anomalous transaction within six months from the day the notice was filed. The inability to comply with the notice will allow the Commission on Audit to take necessary actions in order to settle the issue.

Although the words of Mayor Alfredo Lim may have served as the justification for the named individuals to be held liable by the Commission on Audit, it appears that there is something wrong with this transaction. The only question that needs to be answered in this incident is how did the transaction came to fruition if Mayor Lim did not approve it in the first place? Although the involved people in this anomalous transaction were already held liable for their corrupt practice, answering this question would somehow shed light to the blind side of the story. This side of the story is something that needs to be clarified to the public.

A notice of disallowance was given by the Commission on Audit against some of the government officials from the city of Manila. The notice was filed following the deficiencies found in the vouchers submitted to the Commission on Audit, which contained the supposed payment for 21 fictitious consultants. This government anomaly had cost the city P5,058,000.00. Mayor Alfredo Lim noted that he did not approve and signed any of the contracts for the said consultation services.

-Julius Arante

Mayor Alfredo Lim and Other Manila Officials Charged With Graft for Illegal Public Bidding

Last April 8, 2010, graft charges were filed against some of the members of Manila Bid and Award's Committee along with the city's mayor, Alfredo Lim. The complainant, Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing filed the complaint-affidavit in response to the allegedly illegal public bidding for rehabilitation of 15 schools within the city. Bagatsing said that the bidding have benefited the involved officials. Bagatsing also believed that the bidding was especially disadvantageous to the local government of Manila as the participants in the illegal transaction manifested partiality, giving unwarranted benefits to the winning bidders.

Bagatsing immediately filed his complaint after obtaining an online copy of the bid notice abstract that came from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement (PhilGEPS), which specifically concerns the rehabilitation of 15 Manila elementary schools. Bagatsing stated in his sworn affidavit that the bid invitation posted on February 18, 2010 also included details about the filing of letter of intent for interested bidders which were supposedly on February 10-16, 2010""dates that are impossible to comply with as they have already elapsed. However, instead of openly accepting bids from other interested parties, it was well indicated in the attached document request list that three entities were already the preferred bidders. The said entities include ALE Builders Construction and Development Corporation, Diamond Head Construction/Supplies, and VITES Construction and Development Corporation.

Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing, former legal counsel of Lim, emphasized that the bidding was done in due haste and identified it as a bidding violation. The rigging of the said public building failed to adhere to the Republic Act NO. 9184 (R.A. 9148) or Government Procurement Reform Act. From the overlapping dates of letter of intent submission and the publication of the notice, it cannot be denied that the transaction was rushed. As such, the actions taken by the participants was a discordance to the implementing rules of R.A. 9148.

Seven other Manila officials were pointed out to have played major roles in carrying out the scheme; most of whom are members of the Bids and Awards Committee. They are named Atty. Rafaelito Garayblas, Atty. Renato Dela Cruz, Vicky Valientes, Leanie S. Sanding, Ma. Lourdes Manlulu, Alicia T. Moscaya and Thelma Perez. As most of the involved committee knew the illegalities involved in the bidding transaction, all of the involved officials said to have violated the provisions of Republic Act No. 3019 (R.A. 3019) or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices and Republic Act No. 6713 (R.A. 6713) commonly referred to as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Mayor Alfredo Lim is also held liable for the same violations as he condoned the said acts.

Due to the rigging of the said public bidding, the city of Manila is set to lose P23,550,000.00. Bagatsing also lamented that by entering into this form of contract, the officials, who acted based on their best interest and gave preference toward their selected bidders chose to deprive the city and its people to save funds which could later on be used for other important projects. The plaintiff called for the attention of the Ombudsman to properly address the issue at hand. This is so in order to provide the justice due to Manila residents and tax payers.

All the evidences presented by Bagatsing clearly manifest how public projects like this could become a breeding ground for illegal activities. While various laws may be present in order to eliminate these illegal acts, the number of people who value their personal interest more than that of the public's interest are still growing in numbers each day. Hence, illegal acts become more difficult to resolve. In the long run, if this issue is left unattended, the political career of Mayor Alfredo Lim could be jeopardized.

Mayor Alfredo Lim, along with some of his colleagues in the Bid and Awards committee were charged with graft and corruption lawsuits following the anomalous bidding for the rehabilitation of 15 classrooms in the city of Manila. Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing filed the charges, claiming that the transaction was a bidding violation, set to cost Manila P23,550,000.00. The charges against the officials were filed on April 8, 2010. Bagatsing requested the Ombudsman to take immediate action on the said complaint.

-Julius Arante

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim: Anomaly At The Sale Of Century Park Hotel

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno is facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent bidding and sale of the Century Park Hotel at a bargain price of P 1 Billion. Lim and Moreno alongside 20 councilors, four other city officials and four John Does are the people involved in a 26-page complaint filed by former legal adviser of Lim and close friend Atty. Reynaldo L. Bagatsing. The complaint calls for nullification of the said anomalous transaction and the penalization of the perpetrators involved.

Bagatsing has expressed his deep concern about that the transaction which he sees as manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the City of Manila as the city is set to lose almost P2 billion. The five-star Century Park Hotel is currently located on a 4.5 hectare prime property which could have earned the city government with at least P3 billion in sales. Instead, the city government has awarded the prime property at a bargain price of P1 billion, a far cry from what should have been its original price.It was claimed by Bagatsing that Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno have lobbied for the transaction to take place for the benefit of the mayor's ally in Lucio Tan.

The documents from the City Assessor's Office obtained by Bagatsing shows that the land occupied by the hotel was unaccountably reduced to an area of 22, 967 square meters and worth P 965,261,850 or almost P1 billion.The value of which the land was sold does not actually follow the current zonal valuation of the land as directed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In reference to the BIR's assessment, the current value and selling price of prime properties in the Malate-Ermita district ranges from P 50,000 to P 80,000 per square meter. Using the current assessment, the land should have been acquired for about P3 billion.

The land was sold to the alleged winning bidder, Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corporation, the owner of Century Park Hotel. The corporation is publicly listed and owned by business tycoon Lucio Tan, a known ally of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.In 2003, Tan's firm obtained the rights to operate the hotel in 2003 from Tourist Trade and Travel Corporation of the Martel family. Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corporation, the current hotel's operator, made a P1billion bid and was later awarded with the right to the land. It was believed that Lim used his authority to pave the way for the said anomalous transaction due to his closeness to Tan.

It was believed that the city council composed of 20 councilors have given Lim the authority to negotiate the sale of the hotel through City Council Resolution No. 176 adopted on August 5, 2008.The city council was also the one who affirmed and ratified the award and sale to Tan's firm through Resolution No. 278 approved on December 23, 2008. The said transaction also took place in complete haste, in only a span of five months after Lim was granted authority to negotiate the sale. To cover up the anomalous transactions, the Committee on Bid and Award issued and published erratic and false notice of auction in the in the Philippine Star.

All the evidences gathered and collected show clear evidences that there had been an attempt to reduce the price tag for the said property which clearly makes this transaction a sweetheart deal.The deal has benefited an ally of Mayor Lim and has betrayed the city's taxpayers and residents. The involvement of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in this anomalous transaction is a clear evidence of abuse of authority and power, and a clear betrayal of the public's interest. The Ombudsman on its part must take a concerted effort in bringing all the people involved to justice.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno are facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent bidding and sale of the Century Park Hotel at a bargain price of P 1billion. The involvement of the Mayor of Manila in this fraudulent transaction is a clear indication of abuse of authority and power, and a clear betrayal of the public's interest.

-Julius Arante

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim: Manila's Biggest Mistake

The nation's capital which was once regarded as The Pearl of the Orient Seas, further deteriorated and decayed under the leadership of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. As city mayor, Lim has completely reversed all the growth and development enjoyed by the city under the leadership of his predecessor. Since he took helm, the city has experienced severe blows to its dream of becoming a premiere and world class city. Moreover, many Manilenos particularly the impoverished ones, suffered under the city government's incompetence in delivering basic social needs.

The failures of governance in Manila became more apparent than ever as the city degenerates at a faster pace. Just by taking a walk around Manila's streets can enlighten us on how the present administration had become insensible and ignorant of the city's needs. It is no wonder why Manila has been consistently lagging behind other Asian cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur in all aspects.For a person who loves the city so much, it causes too much pain to accept the fact that the once mighty and lovely city has turned into a complete mess and cesspool. We do not have to look beyond things on finding the culprit of the deterioration of our beloved nation's capital. No one is more liable for the failures of governance in Manila than Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.The present mayor along with his administration failed miserably in organizing the city as they completely discarded and negated what was successfully initiated by their predecessors.Instead of starting on what was completed by the former mayor; Lim started to employ a new policy and form of governance much to the discontent of the already thriving city residents.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and the city's inability to take action during emergency situations and tragedies was apparent during the recent fire that razed the old downtown Manila.The crowded shantytown was completely burned and almost 3,000 families lost their homes. The incident further bared the city government's evacuation and relocation incapability as three thousand families were left struggling on finding a new place for shelter.Instead of giving priority to the welfare of the fire victims, the city government was too busy in trying to sell the area to a property developer.

Under Alfredo Lim, a former police officer himself, Manila's peace and order situation degenerated as evident in the record-high levels of crime in the city. The streets of Manila are still filled with some of the most notorious pickpockets and holdup artists.In terms of infrastructure, the city does not have the adequate infrastructure it needs to improve navigation and travel within the city. The city's streets are still choking in pollution and traffic flow is more chaotic.

The present mayor also failed to provide housing programs that could have benefited thousands of homeless people inhabiting almost every city street. Mayor Lim also promised to support any measure that would call for the removal of the oil depot in Pandacan but when the measure was passed, he acted the other way. There is a lack of an economic plan dedicated on uplifting the lives and providing the poor with employment and livelihood opportunities. Public hospitals of the city are struggling on looking for new medical equipment and medical supplies, and there is a little availability of medical facilities to which Manilenos could run into when needed. It was also during Lim's tenure that the beautification of Manila was stopped as evident in the now stinking Luneta Park and dimmed Avenida Rizal.Manila stinks just like its esteros and streets.

Despite all of these failures of governance in Manila, Alfredo Lim is still searching for another three-year mandate in this forthcoming Manila Election.Lim is again presenting several unseen achievements he made during his tenure as city mayor. As he goes through with his campaign, Lim is again promising a lot of things to fulfill, though much of his earlier promises were not fulfilled. Let's just hope that the Manilenos can realize what it was like before Alfredo Lim.

Manila further deteriorated and decayed under the administration of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. No one is more accountable for the failures of governance in Manila more than Mayor Alfredo Lim. As city mayor, Lim has completely negated all the growth and development gained by the city under the leadership of his predecessors. The present mayor failed miserably in running the city as he completely abandoned and negated what was successfully started by his predecessors.

-Julius Arante

Deficiencies Found In An Anomalous Payment Transaction At The Local Government of Manila

Just last October 29, 2009, the Commission on Audit filed a two-page notice of disallowance against some of the officials and members of the local government of the city of Manila. The notice was filed following the noted deficiencies on the claims for the payment of consultancy fees of purportedly 21 consultants who were contracted to work for the office of the Mayor. However, based from the results of the audit prepared by Domingo C. Bocalan Jr., State Auditor IV, the submitted vouchers or payrolls for the period covering July1, 2007 to June 30, 2009 for alleged contracted services were void and that the supposed 21 consultants were fictitious employees. Accordingly, the anomalous transaction cost Manila the amount of P5,058,000.00.

The notice of disallowance was filed soon after Mayor Alfredo Lim said in his affidavit that he did not have any knowledge, whatsoever, of the said transaction, and that he never authorized the purported contracted services to take place. The Mayor also added that he never signed any contract related to the purported services nor did he granted the payment for the supposed 21 consultants. Lim's statement were further reinforced by three of his office staff. The three office staff who supported the mayor's statement were Rowena Senatin, Helen Natividad and Arturo Mijares.

The three office staff said in their affidavit that the consultants, whose names appeared in the voucher submitted to them, were never employed by the mayor. Senatin, Natividad and Mijares also confirmed that consultants in the voucher were inexistent. This government anomaly is a clear manifestation of the ongoing corrupt practices in the local government of Manila. Nonetheless, like any other forms of illegal activities, the transaction was done in order to benefit the people involved.

Eleven officials from the accounting and property division of the local government of Manila were named as the persons liable for the said anomalous transaction. The named officials were Pacifico Lagramada, Yolanda Ignacio, Marleen Young, Gloria Quilantang, Vicky Valientes, Erlinda Marteja, Philip Cabalun II, Cherry Chan, Alicia Moscaya, Fritz Noel Borres, and Rodelio Leyson. Subsequently, the aforementioned officials facilitated the payment amounting to P5,058,000.00 among the 21 fictitious consultants, who never rendered actual services. Mayor Alfredo Lim and the affidavit of his staffs attested the involvement of the said personnel.

In the notice submitted by Bocolan, he recommended that the involved personnel from the accounting and property division of the city of Manila to refund the P5,058,000.00. The given amount was the supposed payment for the 21 consultants, who purportedly worked for the office of the mayor. The notice of disallowance given by the Commission on Audit is final and executory under the law, and can only be appealed by the involved participants in the anomalous transaction within six months from the day the notice was filed. Accordingly, if the said individuals were not able to comply, the commission would take the necessary steps in order to enforce the notice.

Although the words of Mayor Alfredo Lim may have served as the justification for the named individuals to be held liable by the Commission on Audit, it appears that there is something wrong with this transaction. The only question that needs to be answered in this incident is how did the transaction came to fruition if Mayor Lim did not approve it in the first place? Although the involved people in this anomalous transaction were already held liable for their corrupt practice, answering this question would somehow shed light to the blind side of the story. This side of the story is something that needs to be clarified to the public.

A notice of disallowance was given by the Commission on Audit against some of the government officials from the city of Manila. The notice was filed following the deficiencies found in the vouchers submitted to the Commission on Audit, which contained the supposed payment for 21 fictitious consultants. This government anomaly had cost the city P5,058,000.00. Mayor Alfredo Lim noted that he did not approve and signed any of the contracts for the said consultation services.