|
By James Konstantin Galvez,
Reporter
House Minority Leader Francis
Escudero on Sunday urged the Ombudsman to determine the
participation of retired Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. in the purchase
of overpriced surveillance cameras and ceremonial lampposts
installed in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue in time for
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in
January.
According to Escudero it is hard
to believe that Ebdane, who headed the Department of Public Works
and Highways (DPWH) at the time, did not know what his subordinates
were up to, considering the amount involved and the importance of
the affair.
The government had released P1.5
billion to DPWH for beautification purposes in relation to the Asean
Summit.
“I’m not saying that Ebdane
defrauded the government, but these two potential scams occurred
during his watch,” Escudero pointed out. “Either he approved the
project knowing it was anomalous or his subordinates pulled a fast
one on him. In any case, he must answer for it.”
President Arroyo has since moved
Ebdane to the Department of Defense, where as secretary he said he
plans to fine-tune the bidding process in the purchase of military
equipment.
Acting Deputy Ombudsman Virginia
Palanca-Santiago had announced the start of investigation into the
project involving the purchase and installation of 42 surveillance
cameras, which initial reports show cost the government P90 million,
or P2.14 million each.
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez
earlier ordered the suspension of Mayor Thadeo Ouano of Mandaue and
Mayor Arturo Radaza of Lapu-Lapu, along with Robert Lala, DPWH
regional director, and his eight subordinates for collusion to
defraud the government in the lampposts anomaly.
“Has Ebdane been investigated
at all?” Escudero asked. “If so, did the investigators find him
innocent? The Ombudsman is so quiet about the matter that the public
is beginning to fear another whitewash, where the small fry take the
rap while the responsible high officials get away with murder.”
Newspaper reports quoted Ebdane
as saying that he welcomed the investigation and that he would
provide all the documents relating to the transaction. He also said
he had nothing to do with the project since his approval of it was
only “ministerial.”
But Escudero pointed out that
Ebdane had defended the project by saying that customization,
installation, and maintenance, and the urgency of the project drove
the cost up, the same justification cited by the contractors.
“He put his neck on the line
with that statement,” Escudero said. “Now he should sink or swim
with his subordinates.”
At any rate, he said, the
justification does not hold water. He noted that the Philippine
National Police refused to sign the papers of acceptance precisely
because the surveillance cameras did not come with the radio sets,
contrary to what was specified in the contract.
|
