Agnes mulls over P67M payment for Suroy Suroy buses

The payment for 26 new Suroy Suroy tourist buses from China ordered by suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia still hangs in the balance.

Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale said she will consult her lawyers and decide whether to authorize payment of P67.6 million.

“I want to be careful with the payment but we want this fixed as soon as possible,” said Magpale.

Garcia signed the contract with ConEquip Philippines for the bus procurement but the contract had no approval from the Provincial Board.

Each 35-seater bus costs P2.5 million. They were awarded to various towns as top performers of the E-Gwen program, said Eva Encabo, provincial general services administration chief.

The Department of Interior and Local Government-7(DILG) in its letter reply to Ralph Clinton Tio, managing director of ConEquip Philippines, said payment for the buses can proceed.

DILG-7 Regional Director Ananias M. Villacorta said that since the buses were already delivered and accepted in the towns and cities, the Provincial Board cannot “recall” the vehicles.

He said this “cures the defect of the project even if unapproved by the Provincial Board.”

Among the recipients were the towns of Medellin, Barili, San Francisco, Tabuelan, Liloan, Oslob, Carcar City, Danao City, Alegria and Argao.

Other recipients were Talisay and Naga cities and Sibonga town in the 1st district; Dumanjug, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Boljoon, Alcoy and Dalaguete in the 2nd district; Toledo City and Asturias in the 3rd district; and San Remigio, Daanbantayan, Bantayan and Madridejos in the 4th district.

The Commission on Audit (COA) advised the Capitol that “the responsibility of payment rests with the head of the government agency concerned.”

Regional DILG Director Ananias Villacorta said due to the delivery and acceptance of the buses by the towns and cities, the PB cannot recall them.Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos