Why is Alimodian buying heavy equipment amid a pandemic?

By Limuel S. Celebria

 

Amid a raging pandemic that has put the world economy on a virtual stand still, why does a third-class, IRA-dependent municipality need to borrow money in order to be able to purchase heavy equipment?

This was the question raised by former municipal councilor and former municipal administrator turned concerned citizen, Atty. Salvador Altura Jr., in a letter addressed to the Municipal Bid and Awards Committee and copy furnished the Sangguniang Bayan of Alimodian as well as the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

“I am writing as an Alimodianon concerned with procurement by the Local Government of Alimodian of eight units of heavy equipment. This major procurement is attended by controversial and questionable circumstances that are potentially prejudicial to public interest,” said Altura in his letter.

Altura served as town councilor (1995 – 1999) and municipal administrator during the first and second term of Mayor Geefre Alonsabe. Currently, he is engaged in the private practice of law.

Copies of official documents obtained by Altura showed that sometime last year, the municipality contracted for a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines in the amount of  P44.609 million for the purchase of three (3) dump trucks, One (1) Bulldozer, One (1) motorized grader, one (1) crawler excavator, one (1) double drum vibrator roller, one (1) wheel loader.

Things got curious in December when Mayor Alonsabe wrote the Sangguniang Bayan asking for P3 million to add to the loan amount saying that prices have escalated. It was granted.

Still things got curiouser and curiouser when the Municipal Bid and Awards committee kept on revising the eligibility requirements for prospective bidders to the equipment purchase. It was here that Altura began to suspect the Mayor has a favored bidder and the BAC is tailor-fitting the eligibility requirements to suit the favored bidder. In fact, Mayor Alonsabe’s request for additional funding was based on a quotation coming from the said bidder, Civic Merchandising Inc.

Amid Altura’s warning, the bid was consummated on April 19, 2021.  Civic Merchandising Inc submitted a bid of P47,676,000 which is almost similar to the Approved Budget for the Contract (P47,710,000). However, another bidder Merge Market, Inc., submitted a much lower quotation of only P41,800,000. According to Altura, the participation of the winning bidder was totally unexpected and unwanted. The winning bidder is now being subjected to post qualification inspection by the BAC with a fine-tooth comb.

Apart from the loan and bidding shenanigans, Altura described the procurement is “untimely, unnecessary, and extravagant at this time.” It was pointed out that Alimodian has no major infrastructure program to justify the acquisition of equipment. Moreover, the loan amortization (at P5 million per annum over the next 10 years) will come from the town’s 20% Development Fund. This effectively reduces the town’s capacity to finance other development projects.

Mayor Alonsabe was interviewed over radio Saturday morning in which he claimed that Altura himself suggested the purchase of equipment. He also claimed he consulted with the Sangguniang Bayan members.

Altura admits suggesting the purchase of equipment when he was municipal administrator. However, circumstances have changed. Altura also said Sangguniang Bayan members he talked to denied being consulted by the mayor.