House panel subpoenas suppliers in questioned deals in Pampanga town
MANILA, Philippines — The House Committee on Public Accounts decided on Wednesday to subpoena three suppliers of Mexico in Pampanga to the continuation of its hearing on the town’s alleged irregular contracts.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel made a motion to subpoena the following individuals:
- Aedy Tai Yang
- Rizalito Dizon
- Roberto Tugade
All three appeared to be suppliers involved in the contracts with the Mexico municipal government, headed by Mayor Teddy Tumang.
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. seconded the motion.
Tumang is the subject of the committee’s probe due to complaints filed by private citizen Ernesto Punzalan who was questioning why charges had not been filed against those involved even though the Commission on Audit (COA) has disallowed certain transactions.
These transactions were made in Tumang’s previous term as mayor — from 2007 to 2010.
According to the committee, it has already invited the three suppliers, but they have been consistently absent from the hearings.
Dizon and Tugade were equipment and medical goods suppliers, while Yang sold parcels of land to the local government.
During its hearings, the committee learned that Yang — who asked that he be excused due to previous commitments — sold a one-hectare lot to Mexico for P29.5 million — or P2,950 per square meter.
Yang’s lot and a 1.8-hectare land owned by couple Arnel and Sonia Pangilinan were intended to be the new site of the Mexico town hall and a convention center in Barangay San Antonio.
The second property was sold for around P50 million.
Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta said the Pangilinans had strong ties to the Mexico Registry of Deeds since they supposedly bought the land from farmers at a lower price before reselling it to the town for a higher tag.
“Two days later, the Register of Deeds issued new titles to Mr. Yang and the Pangilinan couple. Ang lakas niyo sa [you have a strong influence on the] Register of Deeds,” he said.
“Since these were purchased for P300 per square meter, you could have offered P500 and saved your town about P65 million. The sellers would have had no choice but to sell because it is the right of government to resort to expropriation in case of a badly needed property,” he said, talking to Tumang.
Tumang said that he was not aware that expropriation was available in procuring land for a town hall and convention center, as he thought it was only for road projects.
Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, who chairs the committee, sought the help of the local police in finding the witnesses.
During previous hearings, Pimentel said Tumang signed contracts worth P149 million that he said were anomalous — which have been flagged by COA.
According to Pimentel, COA received a letter in 2010 from municipal officials asking it to do a special audit of Tumang’s transactions due to a suspicion of irregularity.
But in the subsequent hearing, Tumang clarified that he was merely the subject of politicking, noting that all the disallowances issued by COA had been complied with.
