Probe sought on market project

Both the Ombudsman-Visayas and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) were asked to investigate a contract for the rehabilitation of Cebu City’s Carbon Market Unit II entered into by Mayor Michael Rama.

“It appears now that it is becoming a practice of Mayor Rama’s administration to bypass the City Council,” Councilor Margot Osmeña said in a privilege speech during yesterday morning’s session.

She said the council wanted to be clarified if the P170 million appropriation for the market rehabilitation project that were set aside in 2011 and last year was still available.

About P70 million was set aside in 2011 and P100 million last year for the market rehabilitation.

Rama said in a separate interview that he was open to any investigation.

He said if the contract was signed in the absence of council authority, it could still be forwarded to them for ratification prior to its implementation.

This marked the second time that Osmeña, chairperson of the council’s budget committee, called the mayor’s attention for bypassing the council.

Osmeña also questioned during the council’s April 17 session the awarding of the P50 million road clearing and embankment project for the Bus Rapid Transit-South Road Properties (BRT-SRP) to Supreme ABF Construction.

Contractor Bernabe Gilbor asked the Department of Engineering and Public Works to issue him a work suspension order, saying he won’t pursue the project until all documentary requirements are complied with.

“Both appropriations (in 2011 and 2012) have neither specifications nor other details. Is this sufficient enough?,” Osmeña asked.

Councilor Jose Daluz III, Rama’s ally, said council authority was only needed for “generic” projects.

He said the SRP-BRT road clearing and embankment and the Carbon Market unit II rehabilitation projects were already specified in the appropriation ordinances. “But you cannot expect all details to be put there,” he said.