Solon seeks probe of Leyte road projects
Leyte Rep. Henry Ong has urged the House of Representatives to look into the alleged falsification of bidding documents submitted by a private contractor which secured multimillion-peso road projects in his congressional district.
In filing House Resolution No. 1892, Ong claimed Unimaster Conglomeration Inc. forged the signature of the representative of Powertrac Inc. for the bidding of the widening project of Bagahupi-Babatngon-Sta. Cruz-Barugo-Carigara Road in the second district of Leyte.
‘Habitual’
He said the “habitual falsification of bidding papers” of Unimaster flouted Republic Act No. 9184, more commonly known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.
The law penalizes violators with, among others, imprisonment of six to 15 years.
“The act allegedly committed by Unimaster and Powertrac constitutes a grave violation of the (law),” Ong said, referring the matter to the House committee on public works and highways headed by Zamboanga City Rep. Celso Lobregat.
The lawmaker said the law explicitly prohibited the submission of bidding documents containing “false information or falsified documents or conceal such information in the bidding documents, in order to influence the outcome of the public bidding.”
Falsified
“The bidding documents executed by Powertrac with Unimaster contains the signature of Mr. Lito J. Uy as representative of Powertrac. It is alleged that the said signature of Mr. Uy is falsified and made without his knowledge,” read a portion of Ong’s resolution.
He said sample documents submitted previously to the local office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) showed that “it was very evident and can be reasonably inferred that the signatures on both documents do not match.”
Ong said the company also took part in bidding for other projects using the same tactic—Palo-Carigara-Ormoc road widening project and Daan Maharlika road widening project.
Both are being implemented by the DPWH.
Ong said it appeared that the DPWH “fell hook, line and sinker” for the fake documents.
