HUDCC, NHA face complaint over ‘irregular’ contracts

MANILA, Philippines — A Marawi resident forced to evacuate his home during the 2017 Marawi siege has filed a complaint at the Office of the Ombudsman against executives of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and National Housing Authority (NHA), saying they had “bungled the full rehabilitation” of the city.

Datu Meno Manabilang, who represents the Voice of Marawi Internally Displaced Persons Association (IDPs), filed a complaint against NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., NHA Special Bids and Awards Committee Chair Victor Balba and HUDCC Chair Eduardo del Rosario, over the slow rehabilitation of Marawi City.

Also included in the complaint were private individuals from CJI General Services Inc., including Jimmy Francis Hinch, Barry Jim Hinch, Julius Joseph Beredo, Noel Mendoza and Harry Cuevas.

In his affidavit of complaint, Manabilang said the NHA had failed to award “a proper and valid” contract for the demolition of debris within the city when it gave the demolition contract to CJI General Services Inc.

Manabilang cited the NHA’s “irregular” move in accepting a “revised proposal” and accused it of having “colluded and conspired to cover up their crimes by committing more violations of the procurement law by giving undue advantage to favored contractors,” the complaint said.

Manabilang asked the Ombudsman to examine the contract, citing the “bad track record” of the contractors hired by the NHA, and their alleged collusion in an illegal subcontracting scheme.

“An ineffective contractor risks the safety of people in the area and those who will resettle there in the future,” he said.