Capitol ends contract with Soco company

THE province terminated its contract for janitorial services with a labor company owned by businessman and former vice gubernatorial candidate Glenn Soco last month, the Capitol confirmed yesterday.

Capitol spokesman Rory Jon Sepulveda said they ended the contract for janitorial services with Mandaue Integrated Manpower Services (MIMS) owned by Soco which received the notice last Sept. 28.

The contract was terminated 45 days after receipt of notice.

The company’s contract for janitorial services was supposed to end in May next year.

Sepulveda said it had nothing to do with Soco, who ran with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in last year’s elections.

“If you are a service provider and there’s a little complaint by the principal about you services, it is always provided in the contract… it was terminated in order to allow other service providers to bid. So, it is on certain performance issues,” he said.

The evaluation came from the Cebu Cultural Center (CCC), Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), and the Capitol.

The termination of the contract was based on the recommendations of the Provincial Legal Office.

Sepulveda said the governor instructed Provincial Legal Officer lawyer Marino Martinquilla to prepare a month-to-month extension to Mims.

Mims has been in contract with the Capitol for more than a year.

Sepulveda said there was no ‘falling out’ between Soco and the governor.

“If you noticed in the Obra Negosyo meetings, Mr. Soco is very, very active. He understands that this is purely on a service contract,” he said.

Soco was unable to attend the Obra Negosyo meeting with members of the academe, representatives of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Garcia since he had a prior engagement. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus