Mayor Alfredo Lim And Colleagues Involved In Illegal Bidding

Last April 8, 2010, graft charges were filed against some of the members of Manila Bid and Award's Committee along with the city's mayor, Alfredo Lim. Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing filed the said charges in relation to the unlawful bidding for the rehabilitation of 15 elementary schools in Manila. 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. It was also perceived by the complainant that entering into such transaction placed the city in a disadvantaged position because the involved parties are after the profit and not the due results of the project.

Bagatsing's complaint began after he was able to secure an online copy of the bid notice abstract from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement (PhilGEPS) for the repair of 15 schools within the city of Manila. 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. Despite the notice though, the request list that accompany the said bid notice clearly outlined three entities that were favored by the committee. The 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 swift process of the public building is said to be a violation against the Republic Act NO. 9184 (R.A. 9148) or Government Procurement Reform Act. Based from documents presented by Bagatsing, it was evident that there was a rush in implementing the bidding, as seen from the overlapping dates of the submission of letters of intent and the publication of the notice of invitation to bid. 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.

Members of the Bids and Awards Committee mostly make up the roster of perpetrators in the said transaction. 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 authorized the unscrupulous act to be carried out, is also liable for the same violations.

Due to the rigging of the said public bidding, the city of Manila is set to lose 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. He also called for the Obudsman to have this issue examined extensively. As such, the justice due to the residents of Manila would be granted to them.

All the evidences presented by Bagatsing clearly manifest how public projects like this could become a breeding ground for illegal activities. 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, illegal activities within the government turns into an issue that is too hard to address. In the long run, if this issue is left unattended, the political career of Mayor Alfredo Lim could be jeopardized.

Following the discovery of evidences that pointed towards a bidding violation, Atty. Reynaldo Bagatsing filed a complaint-affidavit against Mayor Alfredo Lim and his cohorts in the Bid and Awards Committee of the city of Manila. Aside from the bidding issues, Bagatsing also stated in his sworn affidavit that the involved participants violated the graft and corruption law as well as the ethical standards for public officials and employees.

-Julius Arante