Makati parking building 鈥榠mplemented with undue haste鈥� and 鈥榠mproper鈥�--COA

Makati parking building 鈥榠mplemented with undue haste鈥� and 鈥榠mproper鈥欌€揅OA

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� An initial evaluation听by a special team of the听Commission on Audit听(COA) on the controversial Makati City Hall 2 parking听building showed听that the project was听鈥渋mplemented听with听undue haste鈥� and听鈥渋mproper,鈥澨齛n auditor told the Senate blue ribbon sub-committee Thursday.

The parking building听has been the subject of an investigation by the Senate body amid allegations that听it was overpriced.

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

COA auditor听Alexander听Juliano听was initially hesitant to听read the initial听report of the team, saying it鈥檚 supposed to be for 鈥渋nternal consumption鈥� of the听Commission and that they have not yet gotten听the听comment of the city听government.

But Senate Majority Leader Alan听Cayetano assured听Juliano听that听he听would听not be violating any law听since he was ordered to do so by the sub-committee.

Juliano then proceeded and read before the committee the COA鈥檚听initial evaluation of the project, a copy of which was later听furnished to reporters.

Based on the report, the city government听had disbursed听an aggregate听amount of听P2, 367, 679.633.95 as听of Dec. 31, 2013 for the construction of the听parking building.

For preliminary services, the听local government听spent听P11, 974, 900.

The following were听the听amounts听spent听by the city government for the five-phase construction of the parking听building:

Phase 1 P386, 998, 154.20

Phase 2 P499 , 357, 003.73

Phase 3 P599,994, 021.05

Phase 4 P649, 934, 440.96

Phase 5 P443, 806, 161.0

The report also showed that the city government spent P75,614, 953.01 for the Building Management System.

Video by 黑料社鈥檚 Ryan Leagogo

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Among听the findings of the听special team was that the听project was 鈥渋mplemented with undue haste as there were no construction听plans听yet when听it was bidded听out and听awarded to Hilmarc鈥檚 Construction听Corp.鈥�

鈥淚t appears that the negotiated procurement adopted by the BAC on the听contract of architectural and听engineering听services as improper because听none of the conditions laid down under Section 53 of the听Implementing Rules听and听Regulations of R.A No. 9184 was present such as failed biddings, emergency cases, takeover of contracts, adjacent or contiguous projects, agency-to agency, highly technical consultants听and defines co-operation agreement,鈥� the report said.

BAC is bids and awards committee.

The report also noted that听that the city started the听procurement process for Phase听3 on Nov. 27, 2009 even听if there was no appropriation听yet.

鈥淭he听covering听appropriation ordinance was only enacted on Sept. 14, 2010,鈥澨齣t pointed out.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also听noteworthy听that the BAC resolution recommending approval of the award HCC was made as early as Jan. 8, 2010, however the Notice of Awards was only served to winning bidder on Sept. 21, 2010. Obviously, the Head of the听Procuring Entity waited听for the passage of the听appropriation ordinance before he issued the NOA to HCC.鈥�

The听report likewise noted that听per COA inspection report dated听July 7, 2011 for Phase 3, the parking building was already 鈥渉abitable and ready for use.鈥�

The construction of the听controversial parking building听started听in 2007 during the time of then Vice President Jejomar Binay and was听completed听during the time of his son, incumbent Makati MayorJejomar Erwin 鈥淛unjun鈥� Binay.