Crying to God for Punishment

Hole of Justice

By Peter G. Jimenea

Crying to God for punishment!

In 2006, an injustice happened to RA 3019 filed by Atty. Romeo Gerochi at the office of Monalisa ehe, este Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez against Mayor Jerry Trenas (now congressman) et al. His case transfigures the men’s dreams in the song Monalisa, they just lie there and die there.

Injustice lies fairly in “delayed” rather than “erroneous” decision which can be appealed immediately. The Housing Project for city employees was approved during the last term of Mayor Mansueto Malabor in 2000 and was turned over to Mayor Trenas for implementation.  

Bankrolled by the P120 million bond floatation of the Iloilo City government, it is guaranteed by IRA or the Internal Revenue Allocation. The bond was bought by the Philippine National Bank (PNB) for a maturity amount of P125M.

The construction of 413 houses was awarded to Ace Builders Enterprises owned by Alex Trinidad. When started in 2001, the mayor has no say in the payment as Trinidad forwards his billings direct to PNB for payment of accomplished job.

Direct bank payment to contractor deprived the mayor the standard operating procedure or SOP. It means the temerity of a winning contractor to compensate the public official of what he never lost.

But they say that if there is a will there is a way, so, the P125M obligation of the city government to the PNB was suddenly transferred to the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) without the public getting wind of it.

PNB is just two blocks away from the PVB, yet, the paper trail from one bank to another cost P12M as documentation – kuno. Sus gino-o, this could put the right senses of an honest taxpayer in the brink of insanity!

Again, the case for the discovered substandard materials used by the contractor in the project has nearly drive Councilor Raul Gonzalez, Jr. and Antonio Pesina to run amuck. Their case filed at the Ombudsman’s Office only lie there and died there too.

In fact, they have once passed a unanimous resolution urging Mayor Trenas to rescind the contract and sue the contractor. Trinidad abandoned the project but still, Mayor Trenas continued paying his billing in millions.

Despite the slippage, the contractor pocketed P64M plus. The city also paid the bank interest of P17,000 plus per day including holidays for over a year. God knows, lowly city hall employees are most sorely tempted to steal but don’t!

The construction of 413 houses that started in 2001 ended with Trenas term in 2009 without a unit completed. Yet, look at the decision of the Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro – a selective approach to prosecution. Now he  has to tolerate brave words to save face!

Only Malabor et al, were indicted. Trenas is still walking tall sporting a smile to the ears. It is widely believed though, that the latent defect in the decision was deliberately ignored by Casimiro in exchange for – you know what!

In this selective approach to prosecution, Mayor Trenas got off the hook easily than Malabor does. Judicial remedies are subjected to “over-use”, “misuse” or “abuse.” But they should know that injustice to taxpayers is a crime and..… see the title!