SP sets probe on Capitol sterilizer-scandal
Three major committees of the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) firmed up the scheduled investigation on the latest scandal to hit the Iloilo Provincial Government.
An offshoot of the privilege speech of First District Board Member Mac Napulan, lead committee tasked to investigate is the Committee on Accounts. Fellow First District Board Member Richard Garin chairs the Accounts Committee. The legislative probe will jointly be done with the Committee on Justice, Good Government and Human Rights chaired by Vice Governor Rolex Suplico and the Committee on Health and Sanitation chaired by Napulan.
The News Today (TNT) learned that notices of hearing were sent Friday with first set of expected resource persons coming from the Commission on Audit (COA).
Top COA officials were requested to appear before the probe body in order to authenticate the COA technical report in possession of the SP.
To recall, Napulan exposed what he termed as the "Autoclave Sterilizer Scandal" backed by COA findings on irregularities.
At the center of the controversy was an Autoclave Sterilizer machine paid over P1.3 million in government funds.
The COA as per special audit of its Technical Services Office (TSO) discovered that the unit delivered and paid for was locally fabricated thus not in accordance with duly approved government purchase order.
Further still, the unit was found to be defective, important parts and features such as the built-in thermal filter was not found nor even the brochure indicated patent number.
Grave problems too on the accompanying Capitol vouchers where a closer scrutiny of the COA team disclosed collusion between participating bidders Pacific Trade House and CDC Pharmacy.
"…there was collusion between the two bidders. It was noted that the Delivery Receipt signed by the Nurse-in-Charge supposedly issued by Pacific Trade House bears the Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN) of a Dionie Trading. Further investigation revealed that this Dionie Trading and CDC Pharmacy are owned by only one person," excerpts of the COA report went.
Irregular Capitol documents too as showed by the Delivery Receipt which was not dated.
In the end, COA recommended to Governor Niel Tupas to demand for a replacement of the unit. And because the transaction was flawed, not only should it be replaced but the unit should be returned with full refund for the Iloilo Provincial Government.
"Further it is recommended that sanctions be imposed," the COA team stated.
As such, Board Member Napulan deemed it just and necessary to conduct an investigation "..and to delve deeper into this seemingly graft-laden procurement……."
Latest development gathered by TNT was that COA permission was sought from higher-ups in the Central Office regarding the presence of two top regional auditors in the SP probe.
Parameters of the SP investigation in aid of legislation were earlier set in a conference held between the three concerned committees.