Officials From Manila's Accounting and Property Division Involved In An Anomalous Transaction

A two-page notice of disallowance against some of the government officials in the city Manila was released by the Commission on Audit last October 29, 2009. The Commission on Audit filed the said notice when they found out that there were deficiencies on the voucher presented by the officials, which concerned the payments for the alleged contracted services of 21 consultants. The said vouchers did not complement the audit prepared by Domingo C. Bocalan Jr., State Auditor IV and that the vouchers were void because the 21 consultants listed in the payroll were inexistent. Accordingly, the anomalous transaction cost Manila the amount of P5,058,000.00.

The notice of disallowance was filed soon after Mayor Alfredo Lim said in his affidavit that he did not have any knowledge, whatsoever, of the said transaction, and that he never authorized the purported contracted services to take place. As a follow up, Lim also noted that he did not sign any contract for the said services nor did he allowed the fictitious consultants to receive any consultation fees or compensations. Lim's claims in his affidavit were backed up by three of his trusted staff. The three office staff who supported the mayor's statement were Rowena Senatin, Helen Natividad and Arturo Mijares.

In their affidavit, the three staff pointed out that the names of the 21 consultants in the payrolls submitted to them were not appointed by the mayor to work in his office. The three also confirmed that the consultants were fictitious. This particular government anomaly is just one of the corrupt practices plaguing Manila's local government. Nonetheless, like any other forms of illegal activities, the transaction was done in order to benefit the people involved.

The anomalous transaction was carried out and consented by 11 officials from the accounting and property division of the local government of Manila. They were Pacifico Lagramada, Yolanda Ignacio, Marleen Young, Gloria Quilantang, Vicky Valientes, Erlinda Marteja, Philip Cabalun II, Cherry Chan, Alicia Moscaya, Fritz Noel Borres, and Rodelio Leyson. Subsequently, the aforementioned officials facilitated the payment amounting to P5,058,000.00 among the 21 fictitious consultants, who never rendered actual services. Their names were confirmed by the affidavit presented by Mayor Alfredo Lim and three of his staff.

Bocolan recommended in the notice of disallowance that the identified perpetrators from the accounting and property division of the city of Manila to refund the full amount of P5,058,000.00. The given amount was the supposed payment for the 21 consultants, who purportedly worked for the office of the mayor. The Commission on Audit gave the involved personnel six months in order to appeal the notice addressed to them. Accordingly, if the said individuals were not able to comply, the commission would take the necessary steps in order to enforce the notice.

Mayor Alfredo Lim may have given his words in order to justify the existence of this anomalous transaction; still, it cannot be denied that there is something inconsistent about the whole story. The only question that needs to be answered in this incident is how did the transaction came to fruition if Mayor Lim did not approve it in the first place? Although the involved people in this anomalous transaction were already held liable for their corrupt practice, answering this question would somehow shed light to the blind side of the story. This side of the story is something that needs to be clarified to the public.

A notice of disallowance was given by the Commission on Audit against some of the government officials from the city of Manila. The notice was filed following the deficiencies found in the vouchers submitted to the Commission on Audit, which contained the supposed payment for 21 fictitious consultants. This government anomaly had cost the city P5,058,000.00. Mayor Alfredo Lim noted that he did not approve and signed any of the contracts for the said consultation services.

Manila Officials Faces Graft And Corruption Charges

Mayor Alfredo Lim is once again placed under public scrutiny after graft charges were filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman last April 8, 2010. Lim, along with other Manila officials were said to falsified receipts worth P221, 250.00 in order to carry out a non-existent local affair to acquire money. Lim's former legal adviser, Reynaldo L. Bagatsing filed the graft charges against the Mayor and his allies. In his sworn affidavit, Bagatsing requested for the Ombudsman to place the officials under preventive suspension.

Seven other Manila officials were implicated by Bagatsing in the said anomaly. They are Atty. Rafaelito M. Garayblas, Atty. Analyn T. Marcelo-Buan, Maria Lourdes R. Malulu, Cherry Chao, Cecilia V. Sican, Leanie S. Sanding, and Vicky R. Valientes. Bagatsing noted in his affidavit that Lim and the other officials altered the original receipts given by Angel's Burger House during their transaction. The plaintiff also said that the Manila officials conspired to make it appear that the Barangay Bureau held a city wide assembly called Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team last August 27, 2009, which Bagatsing have affirmed as a non-existent affair.

Bagatsing outlined in his complaint how this Manila government anomaly came into fruition. Accordingly, during the reimbursement process, the officials allegedly turn in a voucher indicating that 5,500 pieces of cheeseburgers were consumed by the participants in the fabricated assembly. Bagatsing took note that a small burger joint like that of Angel's is not capable of producing such large number of orders, as deliveries like that could be finished in 15 days. To make matters worse based from the inspection report filed on October 19, 2009, which was certified by Cecilia V. Sican, Inspector of the City General Services Office (CGSO), the original receipt numbers provided by the burger joint were 0066 and 0067, a far cry from the receipts and reimbursement voucher handed by the perpetrators to the city treasurer of Manila which were 0214 and 0215.

Due to the forged documents presented by the officials to the city treasurer of Manila during the reimbursement process, they were able to obtain P221, 250.00. Hence, it is apparent that the involved Manila officials committed malversation and falsification or articles 217 and 171 of the revised penal code respectively. This Manila government anomaly well exemplified that such release of government funds for liquidation associated with the alleged city wide Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team did not conduct the required bidding, proving that the officials failed to adhere to Section 367 of Republic Act No. 7160 (R.A. 7160), otherwise referred to as the local government code of 1991. It should be taken into consideration that the amount disembursed and reimbursed by the officials surmount the required amount indicated by Section 367 of R.A. 7160, which specifically points that only P150, 000.00 should be allotted for the procurement of supplies in one month period for all local units of Metropolitan Manila area.

The former legal counsel of Alfredo Lim brought him into charges as he was represented in the said transaction by his secretary Rafaelito Garayblas. Garayblas notably signed the falsified documents with Lim's consent, which in turn gives the Manila officials the permission to facilitate the anomalous activities. Lim may not have directly signed the said documents, but it must be taken into account that the authorization of his secretary also means that he unscrupulous act was done with his consent. Nonetheless, considering that Garayblas directly report to Lim, it is apparent that the Mayor condoned such transaction.

With the election already nearing, graft charges are the last thing that any person running for office would wish to be associated with. Mayor Alfredo Lim, like any other government official, was placed in the position because people trust him. However, the alleged illegal activity that he and his allies were involved with can affect the trust that the people have given him. It is therefore an imperative for these officials to clarify this issue so as not to tarnish the reputations that they have taken care off for a long time.

Mayor Alfredo Lim and some of his allies are facing graft charges for violating the falsification and malversation law after they allegedly conspire to forge receipts from Angel's Burger House to procure government funds. Reynaldo Bagatsing presented several evidences against this Manila government anomaly, and called for the Ombudsman to place the officials under preventive suspension. Lim was involved in the lawsuit, as he was represented by his secretary Rafaelito Garayblas, who signed the false documents with his consent.

Mayor Alfredo Lim And Colleagues Involved In Illegal Bidding

Graft charges were filed against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and some members of the city's Bid and Awards Committee last April 8, 2010. The complainant, Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing filed the complaint-affidavit in response to the allegedly illegal public bidding for rehabilitation of 15 schools within the city. The plaintiff took note that the bidding was done to provide unwarranted benefits not only to chosen bidders but also to the officials who officiated the said bidding. Bagatsing also believed that the bidding was especially disadvantageous to the local government of Manila as the participants in the illegal transaction manifested partiality, giving unwarranted benefits to the winning bidders.

After obtaining an online copy of the bid notice abstract from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement (PhilGEPS), Bagatsing immediately filed a complaint before the Ombudsman. It is noteworthy, based from Bagatsing's obtained bid notice, that the said invitation was posted last February 18, 2010, and on that same post also specified that interested bidders can submit their letters of intent from February 10-16, 2010""dates that have already elapsed by the time the notice was posted. The supposed notice for open bidding was in fact a front as another accompanying document request list clearly identified that three entities were already the preferred bidders. The said entities were ALE Builders Construction and Development Corporation, Diamond Head Construction/Supplies, and VITES Construction and Development Corporation.

Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing, erstwhile friend and legal counsel of Lim, pointed out that the transaction was carried out with undue haste, tagging it as a bidding violation. The rigging of the said public building failed to adhere to the Republic Act NO. 9184 (R.A. 9148) or Government Procurement Reform Act. From the overlapping dates of letter of intent submission and the publication of the notice, it cannot be denied that the transaction was rushed. Hence, it is undeniable that the haste actions of the participating parties were incongruent to the bidding rules and time frames covered by the R.A. 9148.

Most of the key players in the said anomaly are members of the Bids and Awards Committee of Manila. They are Atty. Rafaelito Garayblas, Atty. Renato Dela Cruz, Vicky Valientes, Leanie S. Sanding, Ma. Lourdes Manlulu, Alicia T. Moscaya and Thelma Perez. Because the Bids and Awards Committee knowingly continued the scheme despite it being illegal, they are held liable for violating Republic Act No. 3019 (R.A. 3019) or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices and Republic Act No. 6713 (R.A. 6713) commonly referred to as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Mayor Alfredo Lim, who consented to the act, also violated the aforementioned laws.

Accordingly, the rigging of this public bidding to repair and upgrade 15 elementary schools has cost the city of Manila P23,550,000.00. Bagatsing also noted that by associating with such contract, the major players in the bid chose to deprive Manila the opportunity to save funds which could have been used for future projects. The complainant called forth for the Ombudsman to closely examine the existence of these illegal acts. As such, the justice due to the residents of Manila would be granted to them.

From the evidences shown by Bagatsing, it is apparent that public projects can be turned into the milking cows of officials. While various laws may be present in order to eliminate these illegal acts, the number of people who value their personal interest more than that of the public's interest are still growing in numbers each day. As such, it becomes much harder to put these issues into the forefront. The involvement of Mayor Alfredo Lim in such form of activities could affect his political career if all of these are proven real; but whether or not this is true, such illegal act serves as a proof of the abusive power of men.

Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing filed a graft and corruption lawsuits against Mayor Alfredo Lim and other Manila officials last April 8, 2010. The complaint was filed after Bagatsing found strong evidences about the illegal bidding for the rehabilitation of 15 classrooms in the city of Manila. The complainant believes that the bidding violation is detrimental to the city and its citizens.

-Julius Arante

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim Deserves Negative Rating

The nation's capital which was once called The Pearl of the Orient Seas, deteriorated and decayed under the administration of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. As city mayor, Lim has completely negated all the growth and development recorded in the city during the administration of his predecessor.Since he took rein, the city has taken severe blows to its dream of becoming a premiere and world class city. Moreover, a lot of Manilenos particularly the impoverished ones, suffered under the city government's inefficiency in delivering basic social needs.

The failures of governance in Manila became more apparent than ever as the city degenerates at a faster pace. Just by walking around Manila's streets can give us an idea how the present administration had become insensible and ignorant of the city's needs. It is no wonder why Manila has lagged behind other Asian cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur in all aspects. For a person who loves the city so much, it is too painful to digest the fact that the once mighty and lovely city has turned into a complete mess and cesspool. We do not have to look beyond things on finding the culprit of the deterioration of our beloved nation's capital. No one is more responsible for the failures of governance in Manila than Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. The present mayor along with his administration failed miserably in governing the city as a result of their complete abandonment and negation of what was successfully started by their predecessors. Instead of starting on what was completed by the former mayor; Lim started to employ a new policy and form of governance much to the discontent of the already thriving city residents.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and the city's incapacity to respond during emergency situations and tragedies was seen during the recent fire that razed the old downtown Manila. The crowded shantytown was completely burned and almost 3,000 families lost their homes. The incident further exposed the city government's poor evacuation and relocation capabilities as three thousand families were left struggling on finding a new place for shelter. Instead of taking good care of the fire victims, the city government became too busy in trying to sell the area to a property developer.

Under Alfredo Lim, a former police officer himself, Manila's peace and order situation degenerated as evident in the record-high levels of crime in the city. The streets of Manila are still filled with some of the most notorious pickpockets and holdup artists.In terms of infrastructure, the city still lacks the necessary infrastructure it needs to improve navigation and travel within the city. The city's streets are still choking in pollution and traffic flow is more chaotic.

The present mayor also failed to provide housing programs that could have benefited thousands of homeless people inhabiting almost every city street. Mayor Lim also promised to veto the measure that would call for the removal of the oil depot in Pandacan but when the measure was passed, he acted the other way. There is a lack of an economic plan dedicated on uplifting the lives and providing the poor with employment and livelihood opportunities. Public hospitals of the city are begging for new medical equipment and medical supplies, and there is a lack of medical facilities to which Manilenos could run into when needed. It was also under Lim's leadership that the beautification of Manila was abandoned as evident in the now stinking Luneta Park and dimmed Avenida Rizal. Manila stinks just like its esteros and streets.

Despite all of these failures of governance in Manila, Alfredo Lim is still seeking reelection in this forthcoming Manila Election. Lim is again showing several unproven achievements he made during his tenure as city mayor.As he goes through with his campaign, Lim is again making promises to fulfill, though much of his previous promises were not fulfilled. Let's just hope that the Manilenos can realize what it was like before Alfredo Lim.

Manila further deteriorated and decayed under the administration of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. As city mayor, Lim has completely negated all the growth and development gained by the city under the leadership of his predecessors. The failures of governance in Manila became more apparent in almost all aspects. The present mayor failed miserably in running the city as he completely abandoned and negated what was successfully started by his predecessors.