Capitol's 'pet' contractors in COA's list of dubious infra works
Three contractors known to bag most of the infrastructure works of the current Tupas administration in the Iloilo Provincial Government made it in the list of "Top 15" with questionable and questioned projects.
The list as disclosed by the Commission on Audit (COA) confirmed the inclusion of controversial F. Gurrea Construction Supply, Topmost Development and Marketing Corporation and Francis Clyde Construction Supply.
To recall, the three has since been dragged into the multi-billion frenzy brought by the new Iloilo Airport project in Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan, Iloilo. Same group summoned by the Congressional probe conducted by the House Committee on Good Government amidst charges of irregular deals with the Capitol.
For a period of January to June 2005 alone, 15 infrastructure works were singled-out by government auditors ranging from about P200,000 to over P1.8 million, the common denominator of all was the lack of contract agreements as prescribed by law.
F. Gurrea handled ten of the said projects while Francis Clyde had 3 and one for Topmost with project cost of over P260,000.
The COA wants the Capitol to explain why it allowed and simplified the process involving the awarding to all three contractors and three others, RRL Builders Corp, Q.M. Florete and Carry-All Merchandising.
Yet it is with F. Gurrea that Governor Niel Tupas and his aides would need a lot of explaining to do before the Commission.
The projects included repair and rehabilitation of basketball and volleyball courts and parking area of the Iloilo Sports Complex with total project cost of P1,886,639. F. Gurrea still for nearly half a million pesos of one job labor, materials, tools, equipment and completion of a hospital section in Barotac Viejo.
F.Gurrea anew for the over P1.2 million construction of parking area and guardhouse ramp, concrete benches at the Capitol. F. Gurrea still for the second payment of over P1.3 million for the same project. F. Gurrea once more for over P700,000 in final payment bringing the Capitol front parking area to over P3.2 million in split- Purchase Orders.
Same 'scenario' for F. Gurrea in the over P2 million worth of walkway and waiting shed that saw three split-payments, all projects minus any contract agreements.