Drilon, Cabinet members to face Iloilo Center inquiry

Published November 12, 2014 8:04pm

Senate President Franklin Drilon and the two Cabinet secretaries implicated in the alleged overpricing of the P700-million Iloilo Convention Center have confirmed their attendance in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry on Thursday.

Drilon's media staff confirmed his attendance at the hearing on the alleged overpricing. He said on Monday that he would manifest his intention to inhibit himself from the proceedings but would be open to answering questions from his colleagues as a resource person.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee said Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez have confirmed their attendance in the inquiry based on Senate Resolution 906 filed by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Drilon, Singson and Jimenez were charged with plunder before the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged overpricing. The complainant was former Iloilo Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada, a former ally of the Senate President.

Another subject of Mejorada's complaint in connection with the convention center, Manuel Lapid, the Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, is on an official trip to the US and won't attend.

Lawyer Guiller Asido, the assistant COO, will represent him in the Senate inquiry.

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, the committee chairman, set the hearing at 10 a.m.

It has been reported that Drilon endorsed the convention center as the recipient of P300 million from the Disbursement Acceleration Program. The DAP was declared by the Supreme Court as partially unconstitutional in July.

The officials have denied any wrongdoing in the construction of the convention center, one of the venues that will be used during the Philippines' hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference Summit in 2015.

Hilmarc's

Other resource persons who have confirmed their attendance in the hearing on Thursday include:

- Mejorada
- Engineer Robert Henson, president of Hilmarc's Construction

- Engineer Efren Canlas, chairman of Hilmarc's
- Dennis Santiago, executive director of the Government Procurement Policy Board

- Jose Fabia, commissioner of the Commission on Audit
- Rodulfo Ariesga, technical services officer of the COA

Hilmarc's is the contractor of the convention center.

The firm is also the contractor of another allegedly overpriced project, the P2.7-billion Makati City Hall Building II. It is also the subject of another Blue Ribbon inquiry.

A subcommittee is investigating the city hall controversy involving Vice President Jejomar Binay and members of his family. The Binay camp has repeatedly denied the allegations against them.

Respondents

Mejorada in late October filed the charges against the respondents for plunder, malversation of public funds, dishonesty and grave misconduct, and violation of Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Practices Act.

Mejorada also filed charges against the following:

- DPWH undersecretaries Jaime Pacanan and Romeo Momo,

- DPWH regional director Edilberto Tayao,

- DPWH Bids and Awards Committee chairman Marilyn Celiz,

- W.V. Coscoluella and Associates, represented by President William Coscolluela, and

- Hilmarc's Construction Co., represented by its president, Engr. Efren Canlas.

Meanwhile, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has yet to come up with a decision on the request of former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco that he be allowed to participate in the inquiry.

Syjuco previously filed complaints for plunder against Drilon, who also hails from the province. —Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/NB/KBK, GMA News

Tags: franklindrilon, iloiloconventioncenter, rogeliosingson, ramonjimenez