COA Found Anomalous Transaction In Alfredo Lim’s Administration

Just last October 29, 2009, the Commission on Audit filed a two-page notice of disallowance against some of the officials and members of the local government of the city of Manila. 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. However, based from the results of the audit prepared by Domingo C. Bocalan Jr., State Auditor IV, the submitted vouchers or payrolls for the period covering July1, 2007 to June 30, 2009 for alleged contracted services were void and that the supposed 21 consultants were fictitious employees. Accordingly, the anomalous transaction cost Manila the amount of P5,058,000.00.

Mayor Alfredo Lim claimed in his affidavit that he have no idea about the said anomalous transaction, which in turn reinforced the Commission on Audit file the notice of disallowance against the involved officials. The Mayor also added that he never signed any contract related to the purported services nor did he granted the payment for the supposed 21 consultants. Lim’s claims in his affidavit were backed up by three of his trusted staff. They are 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 government anomaly is a clear manifestation of the ongoing corrupt practices in the local government of Manila. Nonetheless, like any other forms of illegal activities, the transaction was done in order to benefit the people involved.

Eleven officials from the accounting and property division of the local government of Manila were named as the persons liable for the said anomalous transaction. The officials include 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. The said officials consented the release of P5,058,000.00 as a payment to the non-existent consultants for their supposed services to the mayor’s office. Mayor Alfredo Lim and his staff confirmed that names of the perpetrators.

The involved personnel from the accounting and property division of the city of Manila were recommended by Bocolan, in his notice of disallowance, to return 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 notice given by the Commission of Audit was final, giving the involved officials six months to settle the issue. 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. Considering that all the local projects of Manila are needed to be approved by the mayor, what remains questionable in this instance is the fact that the release of payments was still done in spite of Lim claiming that he did not gave his authority for the said project. While there may have been people held liable for this transaction, the above question is a simple inquiry to further shed light on how the transaction was carried out. Perhaps this question is needed to be answered for the public’s understanding.

Some officials from the city of Manila were involved in yet another government anomaly. The Commission on Audit filed a notice of disallowance against 11 Manila officials after deficiencies on the vouchers were found during the auditing process. The voucher contained the alleged consultancy fees of 21 fictitious consultants, who purportedly contracted to work for the office of the Mayor. Mayor Alfredo Lim claimed that he did not sign any contract concerning the appointment of the said consultants.

Anomalous Manila Public Bidding For School Rehabilitation

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. The charges were filed by Reynaldo Bagatsing after allegedly engaging in an unlawful public bidding for the rehabilitation of 15 schools in Manila. The complainant noted that the bidding of repairs was done not out of necessity but for the personal gain of the involved officials. Bagatsing also took into account that the bidding prejudiced the local government of Manila as the involved associates were more concerned about the profits that can be reaped from the project rather than the expected results.

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. Despite the notice though, the request list that accompany the said bid notice clearly outlined three entities that were favored by the committee. 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. 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. As such, the actions taken by the participants was a discordance to the implementing rules of 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 is also held liable for the same violations as he condoned the said acts.

Due to the rigging of the said public bidding, the city of Manila is set to lose P23,550,000.00. Bagatsing also lamented that by entering into this form of contract, the officials, who acted based on their best interest and gave preference toward their selected bidders chose to deprive the city and its people to save funds which could later on be used for other important projects. He also called for the Obudsman to have this issue examined extensively. As such, the justice due to the public would be handed to them.

The instances presented clearly points out how local government projects can became an avenue for the perpetration of illegal activities. Despite the presence of laws that are aimed to deter the existence of fraudulent acts within the government, the people who condone these acts are growing in number each day. As such, illegal activities within the government turns into an issue that is too hard to address. If Mayor Alfredo Lim would not be able to address this matter immediately, not only will jeopardize his career but also the trust that the public has given to him.

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.

Reynaldo Bagatsing Files Graft And Corruption Charges Against Mayor Alfredo Lim And Allies

Last April 8, 2010, graft and corruption charges were filed against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, placing him once again under public scrutiny. A non-existent local assembly was allegedly conspired by Lim and his allies and also falsified receipts, which is said to have costs the city of Manila worth P221, 250.00. Reynaldo L. Bagatsing, Lim’s former legal adviser, was the one who filed the lawsuit. In his sworn affidavit, Bagatsing requested for the Ombudsman to place the officials under preventive suspension.

Seven officials of the city of Manila were also included in Bagatsing’s testimony for their role in the 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. It was also indicated that, the officials made it appear that Manila Barangay Bureau simultaneously spearheaded on August 27, 2009 an activity called Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team”"an affair which was supposedly participated by all the barangays in Manila, which according to the complainant was a non-existent affair.

Bagatsing outlined in his complaint how this Manila government anomaly came into fruition. Specifically, it was claimed that the officials noted in the accompanying reimbursement voucher that the participants of the non-existent assembly consumed 5,500 pieces of cheeseburgers. What truly bothered the complainant was the fact that such small burger outlet is not capable of producing 5, 500 cheeseburgers in one day, when in reality such delivery could have taken the said burger joint 15 days to complete. 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 receipt forgeries done by the Manila officials, the sum of P221, 250.00 was obtained from the city treasurer of Manila during the reimbursement process. As such this is a clear violation of article 217 of the revised penal code known as the malversation of public funds property, and article 171 or Falsification. Likewise, involved officials in this alleged Manila government anomaly failed to adhere to the required bidding process, making them liable for the violation of Section 367 of Republic Act. No. 7160 (R.A. 7160). It should be noted that the P221, 250.00 worth of reimbursement in this transaction exceeded the required amount stated under Section 367 of R.A. 7160, which particularly identified that the procurement of supplies should not exceed the amount of P 150, 000.00 for any items within a month for each of local unit, may it be first or second class cities within the 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. Because Garayblas certified the false and manufactured documents, it is believed that Lim, consented the illegal transaction. 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. On a similar note, considering that Garayblas is Lim’s secretary, it is then agreeable that he was informed about the transaction in the first place.

With the election just around the corner, political candidates are vigilant about their actions so as not get themselves involved with illegal activities. Considering that Mayor Alfredo Lim has long been a part of Manila’s local government, this just means that the people trust his leadership. 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.

Alfredo Lim Is Not A Real EDSA1 Hero

Alfredo Lim has been constantly getting accolades and admiration for the role he played during the famed EDSA 1.The mayor of Manila, who is in the hunt for reelection, has been making false claims and fake representations to boost his image as a real EDSA 1 hero. Mayor Lim has in many ways succeeded in doing so as evident in the current status of his political career. However, as he succeeds in building up his reputation, he also continues to make misrepresentation of the facts.

Recorded events of old Manila watch will tell us exactly the opposite of what Alfredo Lim has been telling us. The mayor of Manila has been building up his image for his own political gain at the expense of another great unknown EDSA hero in Col. Jose H. Dawis. Dawis was the Chief of Police of Quezon City during EDSA 1 under the command of the then General Lim. Dawis is witness to how the former general acted during the height of EDSA1. However, his account of Lim’s participation in EDSA1 continues to be untold and misrepresented.

Colonel Dawis knows how General Lim behaved like a coward during the height of demonstrations and protests. As Commanding General, Lim was not brave enough to confront the angry demonstrators and was cowardly hiding in small Antique shop in P. Tuazon the whole time laden with fear. He was so reluctant and afraid that he passed on the burden of controlling the crowd in EDSA to his personnel. Dawis recalled that it was General Lim who ordered him to disperse the crowd in EDSA at all cost upon the order of order of then President Ferdinand Marcos.

Colonel Dawis only had a handful of 100 people under him at that time when he was ordered by General Lim to disperse the crowd of more than 100,000 in EDSA.To help Colonel Dawis’ in his job, General Lim has promised him with additional 500 military men to help him in the dispersion of the crowd in EDSA.But Colonel Dawis was disobedient.The brave Colonel stood his ground and told Gen. Lim that he will not disperse the crowd who were just expressing their grievances peacefully.

The defiance of Colonel Dawis made General Lim furious and fuming. He was completely mad with how Colonel Dawis responded and defied his orders. As a response, General Lim started to speak angrily to Colonel Dawis who remained unfazed.Colonel Dawis stuck to his principles and did not follow the orders of his superior officer despite the threats of losing his job.

Former Senator Butch Aquino can prove this claim since he and Colonel Dawis had developed a very good relationship.Colonel Dawis was very sympathetic and helpful to the opposition leaders and would allow them to protest peacefully in Quezon City.

This is a clear suggestion that the accolades and admiration that Alfredo Lim enjoys should be withdrawn from him.Lim should not be bestowed with the recognition as one of the many real heroes of EDSA1 for the fact that he was never one.Lim is misleading the public into believing his frivolous claims and misrepresentations of facts at the expense of another great and worthy hero. Colonel Dawis is the real EDSA1 hero and should be given with the necessary accolades and recognition, and not the person who desperately tries to build his self a reputation using nothing but lies.

Alfredo Lim has been erroneously receiving accolades and admiration for the role he played during the famed EDSA. The mayor of Manila, who is seeking reelection, has been making frivolous claims and false representation to bolster his image as a real EDSA one hero. On the contrary, Lim is using his frivolous claims and misrepresentations of facts at the expense of another great and worthy hero, Colonel Dawis.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim Is Charged With Graft For Sale Of Century Park Hotel

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno is facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent bidding and sale of the Century Park Hotel at a bargain price of P 1 Billion. Lim and Moreno alongside 20 councilors, four other city officials and four John Does are included in a 26-page complaint filed by former legal adviser of Lim and close friend Atty. Reynaldo L. Bagatsing. The complaint is calling for the immediate nullification of the said anomalous transaction and the appropriate punishment for the perpetrators involved.

Bagatsing has been alarmed by the transaction which he believes is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the City of Manila as the city is set to lose almost P2 billion.The five-star Century Park Hotel is currently sited on a 4.5 hectare prime property which could have given the city government with at least P3 billion in sales.Instead, the city government has awarded the prime property at a bargain price of P1 billion, a far cry from what should have been its original price.It was claimed by Bagatsing that Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno have lobbied for the transaction to take place for the benefit of the mayor’s ally in Lucio Tan.

The documents obtained by Bagatsing from the City Assessor’s Office clearly shows that the land occupied by the hotel was mysteriously reduced to an area of 22, 967 square meters and worth P 965,261,850 or almost P1 billion. The price of which the land was sold does not actually reflect the current zonal valuation of the land as directed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In reference to the BIR’s valuation, the current value and selling price of prime properties in the Malate-Ermita district ranges from P 50,000 to P 80,000 per square meter. Using the current valuation, the land should have been purchased for around P3 billion.

The right to the land was sold to the winning bidder Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corporation, the owner of Century Park Hotel. The corporation is publicly listed under the name of business tycoon Lucio Tan, a known ally of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. In 2003, Tan’s firm gained the rights to operate the hotel in 2003 from Tourist Trade and Travel Corporation of the Martel family. Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corporation, the current hotel’s operator, submitted a P1 billion bid and won the right to the land. It was claimed that Lim may have played a major role in the said anomalous transaction due to his closeness to Tan.

It was claimed that the city council composed of 20 councilors have granted Lim with the authority to negotiate the sale of the hotel through City Council Resolution No. 176 adopted on August 5, 2008. The city council has also affirmed and ratified the award and sale to Tan’s firm through Resolution No. 278 approved on December 23, 2008. The said transaction was also completed hastily in only a span of five months after Lim was granted authority to negotiate the sale. To make sure that the anomalous transactions will not be uncovered, the Committee on Bid and Award issued and published erratic and false notice of auction in the in the Philippine Star.

All the evidences gathered and collected clearly show that there had been an attempt to reduce the price tag for the said property which clearly makes this transaction a sweetheart deal. The deal has benefited an ally of Mayor Lim and has betrayed the city’s taxpayers and residents. The involvement of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in this fraudulent transaction is a clear indication of abuse of authority and power, and a clear betrayal of the public’s interest. The Ombudsman on its part must take a concerted effort in bringing all the people involved to justice.

The involvement of the Mayor of Manila in the fraudulent transaction sale of the Century Park Hotel at a bargain price of P 1billion, is a clear indication of abuse of authority and power, and a clear betrayal of the public’s interest. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno are charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the said anomalous transaction.