Home 
A document sent to the opposition showed that wooden basketball boards were being ordered for P11,194 each for Cebu City's north district.
With this, Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann Delos Santos said she would ask the Visayas Ombudsman today to investigate the apparent ?overpricing? in the purchase order for 78 pieces by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Cebu City.
She said she couldn't believe Rep. Raul del Mar, for whom the boards were ordered, didn't notice the overpricing.
The total project cost funded under his sub-allotment order (SARO) is P1.4 million.
It includes 38 lighted panaflex or signboards with the text: ?Serbisyo Del Mar...with you for you always? at a cost of P14,993 each.
The basketball board is made of 3'4-inch plywood, a metal hoop and plain paint.
?For me that is very unconscionable, very excessive and very unreasonable...not realizing there is so much in fighting for the boards in itself,? said Delos Santos, who is running for the north district seat herself next year.
?We've talked about so much in the basketball terrorism in itself, not realizing the documents that we are holding right now.
?There is more meat in the board itself as you can see in the unit cost which is P11,194.?
The complaint will name DPWH Cebu City District Engineer Nicomedes Leonor, Jr. and others who signed the purchase order to the supplier and supporting papers.
Congressman Del Mar said that since the boards are funded under his SARO, he had no part in the bidding.
?We cannot participate in the bidding process. We stay out of the picture,? Del Mar said.
For this project, the implementing agency is the Cebu City District Engineering office. He said he already told Leonor to investigate the matter and look into the bidding process where an anomaly may be started.
?I welcome their filing of the charges to determine whether or not there are certain anomalies. Let the offenders suffer the charges,? Del Mar told CEBU DAILY NEWS.
Delos Santos said she received photocopies of a document stating the supplier's price of 78 basketball boards ordered by the DPWH ? Cebu City District for a project of del Mar.
Comparing this with the cost of their own basketball boards donated to neighborhoods, she and Jonathan Guardo said the DPWH-sourced boards were overpriced by at least P9,500.
Guardo, a sports promoter, said their simple wooden basketball boards costs only P1,500 to P2,500 while a signboard is at least P2,000.
?Grabe. If the actual cost (of the board) is P15,000 their kickback is P9,500 each. From basketball terrorism to basketball corruption...? said Guardo.
He said perhaps this is the reason the boards donated by the opposition were taken down by the administration ? so more money could be made.
?This is another lamppost (scandal) in the making,? Guardo said.
Some of the basketball boards are already installed in various north district barangays. The board is made of 3'4th inch plywood, a metal basketball ring, and a coat of regular paint.
In a downtown Cebu City hardware store, Marine plywood of that thickness costs only P835 a panel. A can of paint is around P500. A standard basketball hoop with spring costs at least P1,260.
The documents were delivered to her in a sealed envelope. Delos Santos said she does not know the name of the sender, ?Romalo Tangmuan? written on the papers.
Delos Santos said it would be unusual for the congressman not to check whether the price of his projects are acceptable.
?Ayaw ko ingna nga wala sila kahibalo ani. Kay abi kwarta man sa gobyerno dili nalang ta magpakabana,? Delos Santos said.
Leonor in a separate interview said he will first check the authenticity of the documents sent to the barangay captain since they were photocopies.
He said he was sure there was no irregularity in the implementation of Del Mar's project as it underwent public bidding.
Cebu City Acting mayor Micheal Rama said the political opposition better be sure of their facts when they accuse a party of corruption.
?Whoever has the the habit of accusing should be extra careful because there are laws to run after them if they can?t substantiate their accusation,? he warned.
He said he'd look into the allegations.
He said the Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) will not tolerate corruption in any government transaction.
Rama said he can't speak for Congressman del Mar who has some projects the city isn't aware of.
