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Thursday, March 28, 2024

PACC seeks probe of NHA execs over ‘Yolanda’

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The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission is urging the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct its own investigation against 12 officials of the National Housing Authority over supposed anomalies in the ‘‘Yolanda’’ permanent housing program.

In a one-page letter, PACC chairman Dante Jimenez “endorsed” to Ombudsman Samuel Martires the filing of administrative and criminal charges against lawyer Sinforoso Pagunsan, ex-NHA general manager and ex-procuring entity head; Froilan Kampitan, assistant general manager and bids and awards committee 1 chairperson; Ma. Alma Valenciano, BAC vice chairman; Lorna Seraspe, NPIT-C head and BAC member; Eleanor Balatbat, Romuel Alimboyao and Ma. Magdalena Siacon, BAC members; Susano Nonato, NPIT-A head and BAC member; Alvin Rey Calbario, supervising engineer A and technical working group member; Grace Guevarra, NPIT-C and TWG member; Victor Balba, BAC-2 chairperson; Felicisimo Lazarte Jr., BAC-2 vice chairman.

“The Commission has likewise furnished the Office of the Ombudsman a copy of its resolution and findings for the latter’s appropriate action as regards the administrative aspect of the case pursuant to Section 5(e) of Executive Order No. 73, Series of 2018,” he said.

Based on the findings of the PACC’s intelligence service, there was “prima facie evidence” against the respondents for giving unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference to J.C. Tayag Builders Inc., which was found to have fraudulently misrepresented its technical capacity into entering contracts with the government for the nine projects for the Yolanda permanent housing program,” Jimenez said.

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“The PACC will continuously receive complaints from the people of Region 8 and other provinces affected by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ until it reaches the brains behind this Yolanda housing fiasco,” he added.

In Samar alone, contracts for the construction of 2,559 units in four municipalities were bagged by the sole contractor JCTBI with a total contract cost of P741.53 million.

After over two years since the notices to proceed were awarded, only 36 housing units or merely 1.41 percent of the awarded units were completed when all the contracts were terminated on Nov. 27, 2017.

“This means that JCTBI had failed to perform its obligations in the contract despite receiving at least 15 percent, roughly P111.23 million, for the corresponding mobilization activities,” the endorsement letter read.

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