Lamppost scam: Penalty vs Cebu mayors pushed

An investigating team from the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday pushed for 120-day suspensions on top of other sanctions against two mayors for their alleged hand in the procurement of P365.8 million worth of alleged overpriced lampposts in Cebu province. Facing suspension are Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, according to Virginia Palanca-Santiago, acting deputy ombudsman for the Visayas. Regional director Roberto Lala of the Department of Public Works and highways, two assistant regional directors and two city engineers also stand to be meted similar punishments. Investigators also recommended charges against Gampik Construction and Development Corp. and Fabmik Construction and Equipment Co., two firms which installed 2,310 lampposts for the 12th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) last January. The Office of the Ombudsman still needs to conduct a full investigation on the matter, as the fact-finding team merely came up with recommendations. As part of its deliverables for the project, Fabmik supplied 300 lampposts at P85,000 each, 89 pieces at P224,000 each and 140 streetlamps costing a total of P44.9 million. The lampposts were put up along the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu to supposedly help put up a glitzy facade for visiting Asean heads of state. The DPWH already released 85 percent of the P120-million lampposts contract to the two suppliers for the supply and installation of the lampposts in Cebu and Mandaue cities. - GMANews.TV