Firm faces plaint anew for unfinished projects

A construction firm that was investigated for the P156 million worth of anomalous barangay projects was charged in court for failing to complete one in barangay Pardo, Cebu City.

Enrique Arante, owner of EM Arante Construction, was asked to pay P10.4 million for unfinished projects.

Barangay captain Fermin Dasmarinas of Poblacion Pardo, Cebu City is also seeking P100,000 payment for attorney’s fees and litigation expenses from EM Arante Construction.

Last Oct. 2012, the barangay sent a demand letter to EM Arante Construction to execute the terms of contract for project clusters 1 and 2.

“Despite due receipt of said demand letter, Arante kept mum and never even sent his reply,” Dasmarinas said.

In his complaint, he said the barangay and EM Arante Construction entered into an agreement to renovate the barangays sports complex, canopy and health center in two clusters.

He said they released P9 million to EM Arante Construction for project cluster 1 and another P1.4 million for project cluster 2.

After receiving the money, the construction firm allegedly failed to complete the projects.

The Commission on Audit (COA) recommended that the barangay terminate the contract with EM Arante Construction and blacklist the construction firm.

Dasmarinas said it was also COA who asked them to file charges against the construction firm for its failure to comply with the terms of the contract and for abandoning the projects.

Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña allocated P156 million worth of funds to allied barangay captains in the city’s south district. However, complaints arose over the substandard work done on some of these projects.

The Commission on Audit (COA) questioned why most of the projects were awarded by EM Arante Construction.

Former councilor and Association of Barangay Council president Eugenio Faelnar was also under investigation for reportedly endorsing the awarding of these projects along with two barangay officials. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol