(BERNARD TAGUINOD)
PINAIIMBESTIGAHAN ni Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor ang pagbili ng face shields ng Quezon City government dahil overpriced umano ito ng P24 million.
Sa House Resolution (HR) 2143 na inihain ni Defensor, partikular na tinukoy nito ang biniling 400,000 face shield ng QC government na dapat imbestigahan upang makagawa ng batas na patatagin pa ang pagbabantay sa pondo, hindi lamang ng national government kundi ng local executives.
“Since we are investigating alleged wrongdoing by the Department of Health in the use of pandemic response funds, we might as well look into similar irregularities committed by local government units (LGUs) like Quezon City,” ani Defensor.
Ayon kay Defensor, nakakuha siya ng dokumento mula sa QC LGU insider na bumili ang lokal na pamahalaan ng 400,000 sa halagang P27 million noong Disyembre 2, 2020 subalit naeskandalo ito dahil nagkakahalaga umano ng P67.50 ang bawat piraso.
Binili ng QC LGU sa Strength Medical and Drug Supply ang face shields subalit noong panahong iyon ay nagkakahalaga lamang umano ng P10 ang bawat piraso ng face shield sa Binondo, Manila.
Nangangahulugan aniya na P2.7 million lang sana ang nagastos ng QC government at hindi P27 million kaya hindi aniya ito katanggap-tanggap.
“The price paid by the Quezon City LGU was more than 600 percent higher than the going rate. There was an almost P60 premium paid per unit, or a total overprice of at least P24 million for a single procurement,” ayon sa mambabatas.
Bukod sa overpriced umano ang biniling face shield, hindi idinaan sa public bidding ang pagbili nito.
“Had there been public bidding, City Hall would have discovered that the prevailing price was not more than P10 per face shield and it could have bought 2.7 million pieces instead of just 400,000,” ani Defensor.
171 
