NAKAHANDANG mag-resign bilang congressman si Quezon City mayoralty candidate Mike Defensor kapag fake news ang report na kinukuwestiyon ng Commission on Audit (COA) ang pandemic food pack procurement ng local government ng lungsod.

“If Mayor Joy Belmonte can prove that it is fake news, then I am willing to resign as a member of Congress. If she cannot, then she should resign,” ani Defensor.

Pinanindigan ng kinatawan ng Anakalusugan Party-list ang kanyang unang pahayag na kuwestiyonable sa COA ang paggamit ng city government sa P479 million na ibinigay ng national government noong 2020 bilang COVID-19 pandemic financial assistance.

Pinayuhan din ng mambabatas ang mga taga-lungsod Quezon na bisitahin ang website ng COA (coa.gov.ph,) then click annual reports, 2020, local government units, National Capital Region, Quezon City, upang malaman kung fake news o hindi ang kanyang isiniwalat.

“You can check for yourself who is lying,” ayon pa sa mambabatas.

Sa katunayan, handa umano niyang i-publish ang dokumento “in the newspaper  Belmontes have reportedly sold to the PLDT Group but which they continue to use against me, as a paid advertisement if they will accept it.”

Nakasaad aniya sa COA report na: “Payments for relief goods totaling P479.120 million sourced from Bayanihan grant to cities and municipalities were not supported with complete documentation contrary to Section 4 (6) of Presidential Decree No. 1445, and Item No. 3.6 of Government Procurement Policy Board Circular No. 01-2020 dated April 6, 2020”.

Idinagdag pa aniya sa report ng komisyon na “Likewise, the posting and reporting requirements under Item Nos. 4.1 and 4.4 of Local Budget Circular No. 125 dated April 7, 2020, were not complied with. Thus, the validity and regularity of the transactions cannot be ascertained”.

Lumabas din aniya sa COA report na sa P479 million na ibinigay ng national government, P385 million ang ginastos ng city hall sa food packs, P84.7 million sa bigas rice at plastic bags at P9.4 million sa noodles.

“Auditors identified four documents that were lacking: updated procurement plan; proof of online posting of notice of award, contract or purchase order, copy of notice to the Department of Budget and Management, House of Representatives and Senate; and details of the quantity received by each beneficiary of food aid,” banggit pa ng mambabatas.

Nabigo umano si Belmonte na isumite ang updated procurement plan, notice of online posting of award, contract o purchase order at detalye ng food pack distribution sa komisyon.

Pinanindigan ni Defensor na overpriced ang food packs ng 45 percent o P514 dahil binili ito ng gobyerno ni Belmonte sa halagang P1,149.98 gayung P636 ang laman ng bawat pack.
Plunder vs Belmonte Samantala, sinampahan ng isang empleyado ng QC government ng plunder at kasong katiwalian si Belmonte sa Office the Ombudsman.

Ang kaso ay pormal na isinama ni Clement Joy Mercado, draftsman sa Engineering Department, noong Huwebes, kaugnay ng umano’y overpriced na pandemic supply.

Kasama sa kinasuhan sina Rhea Quintos, may-ari ng R. Quintos Enterprises na supplier ng food packs, at Ruby Manangu, accounting chief ng QC government..

Sa kanyang prefatory statement sa isinampang kaso, tinukoy ni Mercado sa bahagi ng isang ruling ng Sandiganbayan na: “The Philippine government must muster the political will to dismantle the culture of corruption, dishonesty, greed and syndicated criminality that so deeply entrenched itself in the structures of society and the psyche of the populace”.

“With the government terribly lacking the money to provide even the most basic services to its people, any form of misappropriation or misapplication of government funds translates to an actual threat to the very existence of government, and in turn, the very survival of the people it governs over,” ayon pa sa ruling ng Sandiganbayan. (BERNARD TAGUINOD)