Capitol execs prohibited from attending Suplico probe
Yesterday’s scheduled probe by the Committee on Justice, Good Government and Human Rights had to be canceled. And from the looks of it, permanently, too.
This, as Governor Niel Tupas Sr. denied the earlier request made on his office to allow attendance of top Capitol executives as resource persons.
Chaired by Vice Governor Rolex Suplico, Governor Tupas was direct on his refusal to heed the request – the committee, in the first place, has no business doing the investigation.
The message was conveyed to Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) Secretary, Lorenzo Tubola by the governor’s top aide, Manuel Mejorada.
Among the Capitol officials requested to appear before the committee were Budget Officer Elena Lim, Acting Treasurer Corazon Estelita Beloria, Accountant Lyd Tupas, General Services Office Chief Ramie Salcedo and Roquit Resano. Also invited was “floating” Capitol employee Sally Sibonga.
“As you mentioned, the committee hearing is purportedly for the purpose of eliciting information “in aid of legislation.” The matter that the committee desires to tackle involves the implementation of Republic Act No. 9184, or the Government Procurement Act, and we don’t believe the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has the authority to legislate on matters covered by national law. Any issues arising from the implementation of this law are properly within the jurisdiction of the Commission on Audit (COA),” the letter signed by Mejorada went. “Foregoing considered, Governor Tupas has directed me to convey his regrets to the Committee on Justice, Good Government and Human Rights that the request is denied.”
The legislative investigation would have addressed the concerns raised by Suplico on the purported irregularities surrounding the Computerized Real Property Tax Administration System (CRPTAS) project.