A rice supply contractor of the City Government during this COVID-19 crisis, along with its sub-supplier, has sought the City Government’s forgiveness for the committed irregularity, stating there was no intent to purposely re-pack as underweight the supposed 10-kilogram-per-bag rice for household distribution.
One of the two contractors of the City Government, Myrna Ayco of Edwin Ayco Bigasan (EAB), said around 16,000 bags per day of 10-kilogram-individually-packed rice were required from them these past days.
Ayco during the question hour Monday at the City Council identified Nenita Lim as one of her five sub-suppliers to whom she said the discrepancy was found.
“Dahil sa kagustuhan po naming lahat na ma-meet ‘yong deadline, gumawa po kami ng mga paraan para mapabilis. Kami po talagang nagtitimbang kami, ‘yon naman pong ibang kasamahan namin ang ginawa ay bumili ng balde, tinimbangan ng ten kilos then kumbaga pinupuno ‘yong balde, binubuhos na lang pong ganoon. Maaari pong may kulang isang guhit, dalawang guhit, pero ‘yong napakarami hindi po, unintentional po ‘yon sa pagmamadali lang po namin,” said Lim.
“Hindi po namin ginugusto na manloko sa tao, hindi ko po gustong marinig na sinasabi niyo na nanloloko kami. Kasi kami po ay talagang sanay mag-timbang. Sanay po kami sa hirap and in this time na tayo ay nasa crisis, hindi po yata napakagandang pakinggan na tayo ay nanloloko ng kapwa,” Lim added. John Alexander Russell, executive assistant at the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) also during the question hour mentioned they have found an average of seven underweight bags out of every 10 individual packs that were re-weighed.
On the other hand, Ayco said the City Coliseum management has already separated those bags that lacked in weight for replenishment and vowed to replace those that were already distributed to the households.
Ayco apologized at the plenary and said they are willing to replenish what was lacking depending upon the demand of the City Government.
“Humihingi din lahat ng pasensya, hindi din talaga sinasadya. Sa sobrang madalian lang at apurahang timbang. Iyong ibang taong pinang-hire namin siguro hindi natimbang nang tama kaya may mga kulang nang ilang guhit, kalahating kilo. Kung ilan ‘yong hinihingi nila [ng City Government], willing naman sila (sub-supplier) magdagdag. Humihingi po kami ng paumanhin,” said Ayco.
Ayco during an interview with the media gave the last names of her five sub-suppliers including Nenita Lim. She identified the five as Lim, Cayapas, Almerante, Tan, and Musni.
During the question hour Councilor Elgin Damasco made clear that the City Government has only two contractors for this rice supply namely Edwin Ayco of Edwin Ayco Bigasan (EAB) and Joel Olarte of JIO Rice Mills and Grains Trading.
EAB was represented at the plenary by Myrna Ayco.
Violeta Dalonos, acting general services officer (GSO) of the city confirmed at the plenary that according to their initial investigation, only contractor Ayco has discrepancies, which she said was due to one of the sub-supplier.
“Hindi po eksaktong 10 kilos ang laman ng bigas. Noong lumabas ‘yon nag-bigay ng instruction si Ms. Raine na i-identify kung ano ‘yong deliveries ng particular supplier. Mayroon pong lumalabas na nine kilos, 9.5,” said Dalonos.
Amid the same and consistent statement of Dalonos and Ayco noting Lim as the only sub-supplier who has discrepancies, CMO executive assistant John Alexander Russell in his answer to Councilor Atty. Nesario Awat’s question clarified that two of Ayco’s sub-suppliers were found with irregularities identifying the other as Almerante.
Awat said it will be very hard to determine whether the incident was caused by a deceit or just a mere mistake.
“Ang nakita natin ay talagang na-establish na may kulang at itong kulang na ito, kung sinadya man ito o hindi, ang talagang puwede lang magsabi nito ay ang Diyos. Mahirap naman mag-akusa kung talagang sinadya o hindi pero napakahirap ito ding patunayan pin-pointing kung sino talaga ang gumawa because ang dahilan dito ang isang sako base sa mga sagot knaina ay hindi talaga aktwal na tinimbang kung hindi kumuha lang ng lalagyan at ‘yong lalagyan ‘yon ang naging batayan sa paglalagay sa sako na maliit, parang takal lang,” said Awat.
Joey Vincent Rabanal, supervising administrative officer of CMO, said around P250-million was allotted for purchase of 100 thousand sacks of 50-kilo-per-bag commercial rice, which are intended for distribution.
He said three purchase requests were filed by the end-user or the CMO. Indicated on the first was the purchase of 3,000 sacks; second was 37,000; and the third was for the remaining 60,000 sacks of commercial rice.
Rabanal said after the initial survey of CMO for the legitimate suppliers of rice, 37,000 sacks were granted to EAB, while the other 3,000 sacks were awarded to JIO Rice Mills and Grains Trading, both under an emergency case that requires no bidding process.
“Iyong natitirang 60,000 [sacks of rice] hindi pa po siya agad-agad na-award. Kasi three batches ‘yong inaasahan nating pag-deliver. Ang pagkaka-intindi ko po hindi kakayanin ng Coliseum kung bultuhan na tatanggapin natin,” said Rabanal.
Rabanal said that while the City Government counts its order and pays for every 50-kilogram sack of rice, under the contract was an agreement that the supplier will convert the packaging into smaller chunks of 10-kilogram per bag.
Councilor Victor Oliveros, the majority floor leader suggested that a letter be sent to Mayor Lucilo Bayron, requesting his office to urge the involved individuals to replenish the discrepancy in the kilograms of rice delivered to the City Government.
Earlier, Oliveros told Palawan Daily News (PDN) this matter was brought to the knowledge of the City Council that made the plenary decide to invite the suppliers for a question hour.
On the other hand, Councilor Roy Ventura motioned that the City Council file a resolution requesting Mayor Lucilo Bayron, through the City Legal Office (CLO) conduct further investigation of the matter.
“Pwera po doon sa sinasabi nating i-urge ‘yong ating supplier [na] punuan ‘yong pagkukulang, ay gaya po ng aking naipanukala kanina na magkaroon ng imbestigasyon ang ating office of legal, to request the chief executive through City Legal Office na imbestigahan po ang pangyayaring ito at bigyan tayo ng rekomendasyon at output doon sa kanilang imbestigasyon,” said Ventura.
The plenary approved a motion, which combined the suggestions of Ventura and Oliveros, requesting the CMO to conduct an investigation through the aid of legal office, as well as oblige the involved rice suppliers to replace this yet-to-be-determined total weight of rice that which was lacking in their earlier deliveries.