Contractor to city: Stop SRP-BRT road clearing project

THE winning contractor of the SRP-BRT route clearing and embankment project yesterday requested that the project implementation be suspended.

Engineer Bernabe Gilbor of the Supreme ABF Construction said he found out that the documents of the P50 million project awarded to his company last March 25, were not in order.

“I will wait for the documents to be in order before I start with the project. I will respect and will wait for the go signal of the council,” he said.

Gilbor yesterday asked the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) to issue a suspension order on the clearing and embankment project until concerns on its attachment documents would be clarified and corrected.

City Council members convened for an executive session yesterday to seek clarification as to why and how the P50 million BRT embankment project was bidded out and awarded to a contractor even in the absence of council authority.

Councilor Jose Daluz III told the council during their regular session on Wednesday that while the POWE preparation for the embankment project did not pass the council, Mayor Michael Rama would have to get City Council approval before he could enter into a contract with Gilbor.

However, in yesterday’s executive session, Gilbor admitted to the council that he already entered into a contract with Rama on March 26, a day after the project was awarded to his company. A notice to proceed was also issued to him on April 3.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., the council’s majority floor leader, questioned the bidding of the project in the absence of an Approved Budget Contract (ABC).

He pointed out that the ABC which was attached to project contract lacked the signature of city treasurer Emma Villarete. Instead a Neneta Fernandez, executive assistant 2 under the mayor , wrote a note in the contract certifying the availability of the P50 million for the project.

Mayor Rama said in a separate interview that defects on the contract might be cured by a council ratification

“If ever naa na (ang contract) there can be curative means like ratification,” he said.

Councilor Margot Osmeña said that the signed contract would remain illegal and invalid unless approved by the council.

“Nag bantay lang mi sa kwarta. There is no quarrel on the need for the BRT route clearing and embankment,” she said./Reporter Doris C. Bongcac