MERGED: All about the Lamp post Scandal and related issues

[hardlock]

Wa gyud tawn asenso Pilipinas tungod aning mga klase nga leaders!!!

[MhAkDreamy]

angay ni silang ipabarang...

[rickflag]

mao gyud. makalagot sige lang ug pangutang sa gawas unya kurakuton. mao nang naay gani ko chance maka migrate sibat na gyud ko diri. wa gyud tay future diri pinas.

[reclamador]

ultimo pa ni hagbay ra ning gipang balhog mga tawhana.

I Agree !!!

[reclamador]

Wa gyud tawn asenso Pilipinas tungod aning mga klase nga leaders!!!

Keep the Faith, Bros... maayo ra lagi ni ! Keep the Faith !!!

[misha lang]

i wish somebody will be put in prison regarding this over price lampposts.

[tatadeasis]

even at 15K each is too much. D man intawn ni hi-powered lamp posts mga mahal kaayo. They even bought these items in bulk so dapat barato ra. I am sure, wa lang ni nabahin ug tarong sa mga buaya sa gobyerno mao nabulabog ni.

[spec_tot101]

`Drop Teddy Ouano from lamppost case'

Saturday, July 11, 2009

By Karlon N. Rama

AN ALLY of former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano wants the Mandaue City Council to dip its hands into the Asean Summit lamppost controversy even if the matter is now with the Sandiganbayan.

Councilor Victor Biaño, through two draft resolutions submitted to the council for approval last Tuesday, said he wants the body to express "serious misgivings and genuine concern on the outcome of the cases."

In one of the draft resolutions, he proposed that the council "prod the ombudsman to drop from the charges former city mayor Thadeo Z. Ouano and the Mandaue engineers."

The rule on sub judice notwithstanding, he argued that neither Ouano nor the council entered into any contract for the allegedly overpriced procurement.

In the other draft resolution, he proposed that the council "view with grave concern the apparent prejudice shown by the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas" against the ex-mayor.

In that resolution, Biano cited how the anti-graft office supposedly resolved to indict Ouano even though the Commission on Audit (COA) did not identify him as one of those involved in the transaction.

Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Santiago declined to comment on the proposed resolution because of the sub judice rule.

Sub judice

She said the matter is now with the Sandiganbyan, pursuant to the resolution the anti-graft office submitted after a reinvestigation of the matter. It is now up to the Sandigan-bayan to rule on the case.

The sub judice rule restricts comments and disclosures pertaining to judicial proceedings. The Supreme Court, in a host of en banc cases, said this is intended to "avoid prejudging the issue, influencing the court, or obstructing the administration of justice."

A violation of the sub judice rule may render one liable for indirect contempt under Section 3(d), Rule 71 of the Rules of Court.

The draft resolutions, which if approved will become the official position of the Mandaue City Council, discussed the merits of the case.

In the first draft resolution, Biaño cited how the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas recommended the filing of the case that, eventually, was withdrawn.

He then cited how the prosecutor later admitted in court that there was a need to "obtain additional evidence."

Biaño, in his draft resolution, said the subsequent re-filing of the case was done "without a full and complete preliminary investigation" and that it was not strengthened at all by the reinvestigation.

He pointed out the need for the council to air its "serious misgivings and genuine concern."

In the other draft resolution, he raised how the anti-graft office allegedly "ignored the total absence of probable cause to include Mayor Ouano in the charge."

Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierrez re-filed the anti-graft cases earlier filed against Ouano and 20 other persons for the lamppost controversy last May.

Same numbers

The move, in turn, came after the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas found sufficient basis to indict them after a reinvestigation that ended last April 30.

Former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano, Mandaue City Engineer Hidelisa Latonio and Assistant Engineer Gregorio Omo were impleaded for their alleged participation in the bidding and the purchase of 89 decorative lamps, for about P50,000 each, along W.O. Seno, C.D. Seno, Plaridel and J. Briones Sts. in Mandaue City.

Based on the anti-graft office's investigation, the bidding, although carried out by the Department of Public Works and Highways, used the Program of Works and Estimates (POWE) prepared by the Mandaue City Engineering Office.

The bid submitted by the winning supplier, in turn, reflected an amount that was exactly the same as the figures reflected in the POWE, making them win the bidding.

The anti-graft office, in their investigation report, said this shows collusion between bidder, the DPWH and the local government unit, a collusion that defrauded the government of millions and gave unwarranted benefits to a select few.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 11, 2009.

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kaluoy namong mga mandauehanon. i cannot explain how i feel... betrayed, stabbed through the heart, abandoned, ambot. supposedly the city councilors should have our best interest in mind. grabeha oi. this is so depressing.

[gikapoy]

@monrose..agree ko..nga at least na-ay ta nakita sa atong gibayad nga taxes....

hehehe
naa lagi ta nakita pero ang ato nakita kai 1/4 .. ang 3/4 gi dala sa ilahang balay hehehe

[vahnhelsing]

more updates on this....
i hope those who abused their authorities be put into jail before the election comes...
but i guess that wont happen...