Napoles Scam in Cebu
Outline:
1. Napoles Scam
2. The Modus Operandi of the Napoles Scam
3. Napoles Scam in Cebu, Quisumbing
4. Napoles-like Scam in Cebu First Part: 26 Million Consultancy Project
5. Napoles-like Scam in Cebu 2nd Part: Another multi-million consultancy project
6. Napolist scam 200 million loan for heavy equipment
7. Why is Davide no different to Napoles?
1. Napoles Scam
The Priority Development Assistance Fund Scam, tagged to Janet Lim-Napoles, a businesswoman deemed the mastermind, is one of the notorious scams that have marred the Philippine politics. The scam sparked public outrage mostly among the netizens demanding for more truths about the scam, pressuring the government to put to trial those who are involved and insisting Napoles to take to the public trial so that more memes can be made to her disgrace.
The scam has involved personalities whose reputations have been tainted with ill-marks, shame and public judgment. A few of those involved have been charged with graft and corruption including plunder, a non-bailable offence. But the things that have already put these personalities into a much-publicized trial even before the official trial on court are the memes and images posted on social media, making them subjects in group discussions in online and offline.
The PDAF scam is a political scandal, more heinous than the Scandal TV series with all the violence, hedonism and sex in the plots. If being taken into custody for being truthful after the awakening process that has helped shed the light on the ugly sides of things for every penny stolen from the coffers of the people, then Benhur Luy should have his story dramatized on Maalala Mo Kaya, the most popular and tear-jerking weeknight TV show many Filipinos have come to love.
If the sex scandal that broke out in the midst of the a much bigger political scandal involving the same and similar person would have made us puke to dehydration, then I think sparing information that details things involving "vaginal bleeding" would have gotten the people to be more serious of the hullabaloos that the Napoles name has been tagged with. Well again, there would always be memes about that, but they would be SPG's and NSFW's. So please, no graphic details...
If the Paris Hilton-like hedonism that the Napoles' daughter flaunted in social media and blogosphere ignited the netizens to be more envious of the lifestyle, then it would have her reality show entitled, "The Rich Life". It could have been a kind of parody to Hilton's "Simple Life", but with more distasteful episodes especially after knowing that those lifestyles came out from stolen money.
Janet Lim-Napoles couldn't anymore get away from the scam that she was masterminding in connivance with famous personalities in the Senate, Congress, party-list folds, mayors, governors, NGO's and political allies of those involved personalities.
But taking things to light after all the hard news about the PDAF Scam in the Philippine mainstream media, there is one thing that many Filipinos have been in convergence with in this scandal and that is knowing the bitch is something you can mess with in social media, forums and other Internet sites with memorable lines such as "I invoke my right against self-incrimination" and "hindi ko po alam" (I don't know).
image credit: Rappler
2. The Modus Operandi of the Napoles Scam
Simple clerical works are mundane tasks that could lead to bigger things and more often than not, unsolicited and sometimes unexpected activities would be regarded as bogus. Administrative works are not the really that simple, one would reckon. They can be back-breaking tasks and are among the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome.
But ethics aside, forgery and writing love letters to legislators asking for specified amount to funnel to NGO's, begging for support to demand amount so they can have something to use for any anomalous things you can think of. And then the money, after going through a certain process within a certain agency would then be funneled to NGO's or foundations pre-selected by the bitch mastermind. These things, though simple, are part of the modus operandi of the Napoles scam.
Perhaps, the not-so simple things would be the waiting process, knowing the government and its snail pace process.
But again, if we have powerful personalities that would just bark any command to make their requests manifested, then the process would be less of a hassle and more of enjoyment to the benefactors that include Napoles and her family, the legislators, the official of the agency responsible for the facilitating the transfer of funds and sometimes, the local mayor or governor.
But again, if we have powerful personalities that would just bark any command to make their requests manifested, then the process would be less of a hassle and more of enjoyment to the benefactors that include Napoles and her family, the legislators, the official of the agency responsible for the facilitating the transfer of funds and sometimes, the local mayor or governor.
The vile part of the modus operandi is when the local mayor or governor has no knowledge of any PDAF transactions and that their signatures have been forged.
One of the examples of this situation was Rep. Gerald Anthony Gullas, when his name was tagged to PDAF scam. He denied any wrongdoing citing that he wasn't even a lawmaker at the time when Napoles and her gangs of thieves stole the public's coffers.
Napoles through her lawyer admitted the mistake in the inclusion of Gullas in the list. Napoles apologized for the error. The mistake was due to pressure in submitting the list on its scheduled deadline, as cited by Bruce Rivera, Napoles’s lawyer.
3. Napoles Scam in Cebu
Napoles through her counsel asked for apology for erroneously including Gullas in the affidavit, which included the list of politicians involved in the scam. The omission of the name of incumbent congressman of Cebu 1st district Gerald Anthony Gullas, however, exposed the inclusion of his grandfather, who is the former Cebu 1st district representative in the scam.
Other personalities tagged to the scam are former 5th district representative Ramon Durano VI and Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (6th district).
Quisumbing provided funds to Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa Foundation Inc., (KKAMFI) an NGO regarded as bogus based on a report. KKAMFI has been investigated for receiving funds of 525.679 million pesos from 2007 to 2009. Despite the anomalies, the NGO has been accredited by Department of Agriculture. Quisumbing reportedly supported KKAMFI with 900,000 million.
Moreover, a report of the Commission on Audit stated that Durano each funneled funds amounting to P9 million to the Philippine Forest Corp. (PFC).
PFC was questioned for anomalies on the missing goats controversy, which put the NGO to scrutiny. There was also a move to abolish PFC for its involvement in questionable transactions.
Both Durano and Quisumbing confirmed that the funding poured on supported NGO’s implemented programs according to the functions and purposes intended. Validators composing of various agencies including Commission on Audit (COA) assessed the realization of the projects, as they both asserted. But there is always possibility for any conniving schemes when all parties benefit, right?
However, questions would arise as to the transparency of the reportedly realized projects such as: how much was the realized cost in the implementation of the projects?
Quisumbing asserted that full documentation can be accessed upon request to interested parties. The documentation includes a full list of beneficiaries of the realized projects.
However, Quisumbing added “that he did not have any hand in choosing the non-government organization, saying he did not know the NGO or the people running it.” This is quoted on this article. But do you believe that congressman as smart as Quisumbing does not have any upper hand in choosing an NGO? Why not research it first before funneling fund to that organization?
If this alibi has been a norm of all those personalities linked to Napoles, then their positions as lawmakers and public servants are questionable and would even make them incompetent, unqualified... bogus!
Where were their research and development teams when they were in dire need of them?
4. Napoles-like Scam in Cebu First Part: 26 Million Consultancy Project
The multi-million consultancy project awarded by Cebu Capitol to a certain NGO has been deemed questionable by the opposing party led by One Cebu 2016 gubernatorial candidate Winston Garcia. There are factors that have been found to label the project as Napoles-like.
- The amount of 26 million cost is too damned high for a consultancy project. Allocation of 500,000 pesos per LGU is for what cost in a consultancy project that will run for 7 months to derive a 5-year disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation plan?
- Though the consultancy project could have a long-term benefit for the Cebu province and the LGU’s, more questions pop in: how can an entity such as Kaabag sa Sugbo Foundation be able to come up a contingency plan when disaster risk reduction management is not their forte? Do they have a track record and previous projects where they have conducted disaster risk management? Do the NGO’s within its network have competent personnel to conduct the necessary works to produce contingency plan?
- Kaabag sa Sugbo Foundation, Inc., based on their Facebook page is a network of 28 NGO’s. Does the network of NGO’s ring a bell to you? Is this a Napoles-like network? As of this writing, its website is currently down. Perhaps, because of maintenance, that’s why. But the netizens demand to learn about these NGO’s and their networks. We can't let another Napoles-like scam to be doing their rounds of bogus works and scam the people with tons of money and swindling them through their cunning persuasion.
But then again, more questions need answers!
WHY WOULD CAPITOL HIRE AN NGO THAT DOESN’T EVEN HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT?
WHY NOT CONSULT THE MATTER WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT COUNCIL OFFICES WHERE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT DATA AND INFORMATION DURING THE TYPHOON YOLANDA, BOHOL EARTHQUAKE AND OTHER DISASTERS THAT WRECKED THIS COUNTRY?
According of Republic Act 10121, various local governments throughout the country should establish Local DRRM Offices at the regional, provincial, municipal, city and barangay levels. Based on the Cebu provincial website, it already has Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office headed currently by Baltazar Tribunalo, Jr.
Why not include in its functions DRRM consultancy?
Is this office only operated during times of disasters?
Why not include in its functions DRRM consultancy?
Is this office only operated during times of disasters?
26-Million consultancy project should instead be used to improve the facilities of district hospitals in the Cebu province. In the event of any disaster, where would the victims, the hapless, the injured and the people in misery go to ask for cure, surgery and medications?
In the hospitals, right?
Why should the province invest in the consultancy projects when they haven’t solved yet the situations in medical facilities of the province?
The hospitals should have the available facilities in the event of any disaster within their districts and coverage areas. If they are housed with incompetent medical practitioners, then what is the point of reducing disaster risks when the risks are already inherent within the confines of the area where the injured, the sick and the medically disabled seek for cures, rehabilitation, recovery and solutions?
Do the Capitol and the LGU’s want information on books where information on disaster risk reduction management? Why not turn to the Internet where it has large repository of information to reduce disaster risk and to manage any risks that may come from disasters including climate change?
Again, if we look at Republic Act 10121, it is imperative that every LGU down to the barangay level must have its local DRRM office. If the argument is that each LDRRM does not have the capacity to come up with a plan, then why put up an office like it when it is not competent to produce contingency plan?
What is the point of data gathering during times of disaster when they can’t even use the gathered data to come up with a plan to reduce disaster risks and to manage the risks resulting from climate change?
What is the point of data gathering during times of disaster when they can’t even use the gathered data to come up with a plan to reduce disaster risks and to manage the risks resulting from climate change?
The disaster risk reduction management should be handled by the right office where it has the proper info, operations and gathered data where it can readily produce the contingency plan to prepare for any future disaster and to reduce and manage the risks. The local disaster risk reduction management office should have that function, right? Why give a multi-million project to an NGO when there is already an office for that function? What’s the scope of Local DRRM office when they can’t even provide the data to derive a contingency plan for the Cebu province?
Why hire a second party to assess the risks in every LGU?
Perhaps, they want a second opinion so to derive a much bigger perspective on the risks in local levels. But the question here is why it is 26 million for a consultancy project?
Perhaps, they want a second opinion so to derive a much bigger perspective on the risks in local levels. But the question here is why it is 26 million for a consultancy project?
But why that BIG of an amount to open for bidding?!?
5. Napoles-like Scam in Cebu 2nd Part: Another multi-million consultancy project
57 million consultancy for a new Capitol building is another maligned proposal of Cebu Capitol already on queue in Bids and Awards Committee. Awardee for this project has not been revealed yet. But this amount is too steep that when you put a vertical block of Php1,000 banknote totalling over 57 million, its phallic tower would beat the Horizon 101 in Cebu.
This project has yet to be seen. But the amount of this project is scandalous. There is also one question that should be thrown to Cebu Capitol especially to the governor, do you have no TRUST to Cebu province’s engineering office?
Is an architect firm that expensive to be awarded with multi-million consultancy project for only 120 days of implementation?
Based on BAC, the service is “for the preparation of detailed architectural and engineering design, feasibility study, and construction supervision for a proposed 12-story building in the Capitol compound”.
There must have been a procedure within the Bids and Awards Committee to conduct consultation as to the cost prior to open a bid for a consultancy project. In other words, they should have a benchmark that explains the amount to be bid for this kind of consultancy project?
Question is: what is their benchmark?
What firm has they turned to derive that scandalous amount?
If it is in the engineering office, then, there should be the projected cost for a consultancy project to be bid?
The amount is staggering. It’s scandalous!
57-million for a consultancy project to construct a building?!?
57-million for a consultancy project to construct a building?!?
THEN LET THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER BE KNOWN!
6. Napolist scam 200 million loan for heavy equipment
According to the latest 2014 annual financial report of the Commission on Audit, the Cebu Province has the highest equity at P28.181 billion,with an asset of P29.69 billion and liabilities of P1.5 billion. It also earned net income of P651 million in 2014 after generating a revenue of P2.76 billion and expenditures of P2.11 billion.
In 2015, Cebu is reported to be the wealthiest province in the Philippines.
If the Cebu province is asset-laden, then why should it secure a loan?
In 2015, Cebu is reported to be the wealthiest province in the Philippines.
If the Cebu province is asset-laden, then why should it secure a loan?
Cebu Capitol is scoundering to secure a loan worth 200 million pesos to buy heavy equipment from Land Bank of the Philippines. If they want to secure a loan, then expectedly, the must also incur interest expenses that could be in the multi-million pesos also.
Interest expense is a waste of money for a provincial government. Fiscal-wise, it is not wise to incur a loan that produces expenses in which the public cannot benefit. It is only the bank that can benefit from the interest expenses because for them, it is an income. But the question again, why is the Cebu province securing a loan when it is cash-rich, when it has billions of assets in its custody?
Why waste multimillion in pesos to pay for interest when the amount can be used to improve the medical facilities and other province’s assets to improve the lives of Cebuanos?
Just knowing the plan of Cebu capitol to secure loan from a bank makes smart netizens think that the head of the capitol is not a good businessman and a compassionate public servant.
He is not a good businessman because he is not able to utilize the asset property to secure a capital expenditure, and instead, it wants to balloon the province’s liabilities.
He is a not compassionate public servant because he does not think of properly using an asset. Instead, he is wasting asset to pay off an expense worth in multimillion. That expense should have been used in projects and improvement of facilities and infrastructure to improve the lives of Cebuanos.
7. Why is Davide no different to Napoles?
If the intention of Davide is to enrich himself, then he is not that different to Napoles. Perhaps, the worst part is that Napoles is a businessman and has never become a public servant, but Davide is a public servant but his shrewdness in handling businesses within the Capitol is reflected on the multi-million projects which purposes are questionable.
If we take into account the multi-million consultancy projects collectively, the intentions are not well-aligned to the welfare of the Cebuanos even if their purposes are to come up with contingency plans for disaster risk reduction and management and new building for certain provincial government’s offices.
The amounts of multi-millions consultancy projects are scandalous and unjustifiable that they are not really that far in the category of Napoles-like scams.
The exposure of these contracts in which one has been awarded to an NGO with questionable profile and track record in delivering a consultancy project where the Cebu province already has an office for it -- the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council -- has provided the netizens to discern and to have a field day in social media.
Are we all too fed up with all the Napoles stories of scam and the corruptions in the government?
Isn’t it enough to have one Napoles?
It would be a pain in the ass to have more Napolists that bar any progress Cebuanos have made.
NEVER AGAIN will we listen to Napoles and her "I don’t knows" because we’re too fed up with her. In fairness with her, she’s a businesswoman and a very shrewd and cunning one.
NEVER AGAIN must we encounter a new Napolist because we don’t want to succumb to someone who is a wolf in a sheep’s clothing.
If the seating governor is nonperforming, then how can there be "matuwid na daan"? As they say in religious texts, "the equivalent of commission of sins is the omission to do good."
If the seating governor is nonperforming, then how can there be "matuwid na daan"? As they say in religious texts, "the equivalent of commission of sins is the omission to do good."
Yes, the yellow line resembles for “Daan Matuwid”. But as we express in Bisaya, “Chur ba gyud na?” (Is that for REAL?)
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