The scroll of blasphemy

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

I don't like him either!

Cong. Jerry Trenas may be feeding grudge against me for bringing out on line corruption issues against his administration when still a mayor of Iloilo City. But during his term as elected mayor, he committed misgivings that as to contrition for what he did, apology may not be accepted!

First is the construction of Iloilo Terminal Market bankrolled by the P120M city government loan from the Philippine National Bank (PNB). It was delayed because the first P17M loan released by the bank prior to the start of the project went to the wrong pockets. The crooks hurriedly cut into pieces the gold at hand as if passengers catching the last plane out, forgetting the guard of the treasury who also want a share of the loot. Thus, the delay!

Even the relative of the mayor wants to get a share by lobbying to sub-contract the electrical and water pipe installations inside the market. I am privy to this deal being the manager of an insurance company who issued the performance bond of the contractor as his guarantee to finish the job.

When the mess broke out, city officials threatened to confiscate the bond and sue the contractor for the delay. But the mayor slowed down for fear this could open the hidden mystery of the contract as some officials have become overnight millionaires from that deal.

In order to obviate unwanted consequences, the mayor decided to takeover the construction of the Iloilo Terminal Market. The project was undertaken by administration to cover-up the mess they're in until it was completed. This is one of a story that won't go away.

Then comes the Iloilo City Government Employees Housing Project in Pavia, Iloilo, funded by another P120 million loan from the PNB. The contract was awarded to Ace Builders of Alex Trinidad, rumored to be a friend of Mayor Trenas.

But as soon as the project started, the P120M loan from the PNB was transferred to Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB). The “kamag-anak” factor has played a big role in this transfer which eventually bind the city government to a new accountability of P132M due to alleged expensive transfer-documentation.

Worse, the materials used in the construction of the supposed 413 units of houses were incidentally discovered to be of substandard quality that the media feasted on the issue. Alarmed by the discovery, the city council pass a unanimous resolution urging Mayor Trenas to rescind the contract with Ace Builders and sue the contractor Alex Trinidad.

But Mayor Trenas cannot be intimidated by a mere resolution. He ignored it and continued paying the contractor's billing in millions of pesos. Despite the residual imperfection of the deal, their will was done!

Only the intervention of the Ombudsman stopped him from paying the contractor. Unfortunately, Trinidad has already pocketed P62.5M. without a single unit built out of the 413 low-cost houses as stipulated in the contract.

The Employees Housing Project that started during the first term of Jerry Trenas in 2001, eventually ended a “white elephant” in 2009. In streets smart parlance, a hao shiao and the mayor has a lot of explaining to do. But as Mayor Trenas doesn't want to talk about it anymore, the stories of anomaly is now a scroll that forms the basis of his blasphemy!

Few have the faintest idea that the city government pays P17,000 daily interest for that failed housing project including holidays. For over a year, the total interest paid is P24.7M. This deliberate injustice to taxpayers' money is a crime that cries to God for vengeance!

Here, we cannot easily dispel the growing public perception that Trenas is the most despised mayor Iloilo City ever had. But God knows, que peccat ebrius luat sobrius - he who offends when drunk shall be punished when sober. I hope to have made your day in this column. So, if Cong. Trenas says he doesn't like me, please tell him that ........ see the title!