Residents of Alaminos, Pangasinan have sought the help of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the construction of waiting sheds along Sadsaran Street in Barangay Poblacion which they claimed was overpriced.
In a complaint filed by Concerned Citizens of Alaminos City before the office of PACC commissioner Greco Belgica, the waiting sheds, made of concrete and were installed in various places in Alaminos, cost P543,489.49 each.
Belgica’s office received the copy of the complaint last Feb. 18.
The CACC said the waiting sheds were constructed by contractor Jasa Builders and Development Corp., reportedly owned and operated by a family of politicians in Alaminos.
The group said the Alaminos City Council approved P9.3 million as budget allocation for the project which came from the 20 percent City Development Fund.
It added that other city’s infrastructure projects were “monopolized” by the said contractor.
The residents urged the PACC to look into the conflict of interest against the politicians involved in the construction, saying this was a clear violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
They said the law prohibited any elective and appointive government officials to grant government contracts to any business he or she owned.
CCAC also compared the waiting sheds to the housing projects for rebels in Mindanao who surrendered to the government which only costs P320,000 inclusive of water connection and solar lights.
“Why is a house with walls, windows, doors, electrical and piping system cheaper than a waiting shed with just only four posts and a roof?” the group questioned.
The CCAC said the politicians were “robbing them of the taxpayers’ money in broad daylight.”
President Rodrigo Duterte last month granted the PACC additional powers to expand its jurisdiction.
Through Executive Order No. 73, Duterte cited his earlier EO creating the PACC to amend the agency’s jurisdiction, powers, and functions.
“The Commission shall have the power, on complaint or motu proprio, and concurrently with the Office of the Ombudsman, to hear, investigate, receive, gather, and evaluate evidence, intelligence reports, and information on administrative cases against all presidential appointees in the Executive Branch of the government, any of its agencies… or who otherwise represent the interests of the government for acts or omissions constituting violations,” the law read.
According to the EO, the PACC could execute its additional duties if a person or entity representing the government committed acts of graft and corruption, declaration of forfeiture, code of conduct, some provisions under the book two of the revised penal code, and the administrative code.
Aside from PACC, Alaminos residents will also ask the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to look into the matter.
The residents said they were ready to face PAGC, Ombudsman, and DILG when needed to boost their complaint.