The Bacolod City government cannot pay Airwaves Cargo Services of its claim for payment of the freight and trailer of the patrol boat for lack of legal basis and utter lack of merit, Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said, in response to the demand letter of the supplier.

The payment for the delivery of the 28-footer patrol boat and 4-wheel trailer amounts to P461,000.

“Airwaves Cargo Services may claim their services and delivery of the units from Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez, who is responsible for the unauthorized procurements which is not valid and legal and not in accordance with the provision of IRR-A of R.A. 9184,” Puentevella said in his letter to its representative, Ma. Cecilia Magat.

Puentevella said they have observed that the patrol boat and trailer have no purchase orders issued by the Bids and Awards Committee and approved by the Mayor to complete the transaction, as required under R.A. 9184.

He said the demand for payment, hand carried by Lopez, was only done on May 12, when Airwaves had delivered its services and goods 20 months back on October 2012. It had not sent a representative to negotiate the payment for its services, while Lopez is the one personally interceding for such claims.

Puentevella also asked who authorized the firm to transport the Department of Agriculture/Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources donated patrol boat from Manila to Bacolod and to deliver the trailer.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman in Region 6 has acted on the letter of Lopez requesting its assistance regarding the payment of the freight of the patrol boat and trailer by forwarding his letter to the office of Puentevella with instructions “for appropriate action” to the latter.

Lopez said he has already requested BFAR regional director Remia Aparri to send an official marine engineer to inspect the patrol boat.

Acting BFAR Region 6 director May Guanco wrote BFAR Manila for a technical staff member to conduct the ocular inspection in Bacolod.

Lopez said a marine engineer will test-drive the patrol boat to check its sea worthiness.

He said he had requested for payment of the freight and made follow ups since July but it was not acted upon. And now it has been made an issue against him.

“I think they are trying to deviate the issue because I am very unperturbed in pursuing graft and corruption, especially the unauthorized sale of ukay-ukay or used clothing at the Bacolod Public Plaza which I am having investigated,” Lopez said.

He said he will not back down from a good fight in the interest of truth.

Lopez said “Anytime, anywhere I am ready to face them. But they should answer the Ombudsman because anytime they will be receiving a love letter for the P50.5 million BASOC (Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee) fund scam.”

He said the P9 million fund through a donation from Sta, Lucia Realty and Ayala Land is also subject to investigation by the Ombudsman.

Lopez said he requested the fund for the water, electricity and drainage system of the relocation site but this has not yet been released by the city. This is really manifest partiality, dishonesty and in violation of the Code of Ethics.

On the other hand, Lopez said the 6-wheeler Isuzu Elf truck, which he turned over to the city last week together with the patrol boat and trailer, is covered by an acknowledgement receipt signed by Jerome Solinap dated Oct. 30, 2012.

Lopez said the truck was assigned by former Mayor Evelio Leonardia to him and is being used by the City Health Office, City Tourism and City Agriculture Office for various services.*CGS

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