A special Ombudsman panel came out with a conclusion that the allegedly overpriced P2.2 billion Makati city hall parking building “is a grand corruption scheme” involving “the diversion of people’s money” and raiding of city government coffers for the benefit of the favored contractors.
The conclusion arrived probers that looked into the controversial five phased project that spanned the terms of VP Jejomar Binay Jr. and current Makati Mayor Junjun Binay.
This indict Binay and his son, other officials and several private contractors for charges particular of criminal and administrative.
The panel report says that the project is connected to “illegal procurement and payment for the design and construction of the Makati city hall parking building.”
Possible impeachment of VP Binay is also considered due to the conclusions that:
“The case of the Makati parking building is a clear instance of diversion of people’s money and putting it on the hands of favored private contractors. The release of millions of pesos for unutilized working drawings and plans, and the circumvention and violation of procurement laws to favor the contractors, have indeed, raided the coffers of the city government of Makati. The public officials responsible for such illegal transaction, and the private contractors who conspired with them, should therefore be held accountable,” the panel report said.
The report disclosed that the P2.2 billion project was spoiled with irregularities including that lack of public bidding for the architectural and design services, falsification of bid documents and lack of required appropriation.
Also sought to be indicted are 22 individuals including Hilmarc’s chairman Efren Canlas.
H/T: Rappler.com; Photo lifted from Google.
