THERE’S more work cut out for the Commission on Audit (COA) in Dagupan as the city government has asked for a review of several purchases made under the Lim administration suspected to be irregular and overpriced.

Among these purchases, using the calamity fund, are some 248 hand-held radios and a luxury vehicle purportedly intended as a rescue vehicle during calamity situations.

Ronaldo de Guzman, executive director of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the brand new radios are useless because they are short range and the batteries easily drain.

Most of the radios remain in boxes at the General Service Office (GSO) after some were given to CRRMC personnel who found the communication tool cannot be used even just within the downtown area.

City Auditor Virgilio Quinto, upon being sought for advice by De Guzman, asked the GSO to produce the warranty papers for these gadgets so that the city government can demand for replacement from the suppliers.

Quinto further asked the city government to submit the papers for the purchased items which were reportedly bought at an overprice of more than P2 million or P5,000 a piece.

HI-LUX

At the same time, Quinto advised the city government to form an appraisal committee to handle the planned public auction of a brand new four-wheel drive Toyota Hi-lux, which was bought by the past city administration under then Mayor Benjamin Lim for P1.8 million.

City Planning and Development Coordinator Romeo Rosario said the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), of which he is the chairman, recommended that the pick-up, which appears to be more of a luxury vehicle than as rescue vehicle, be put to public auction and the proceeds of which will be used to buy a brand new dump truck, which is more practicable for rescue operations.

“But I doubt if the vehicle can negotiate the floods in say, for instance, Malued, Lasip Grande, Lasip Chico and even in Panta,” said Rosario, adding, “Besides, it may only able to rescue four persons.”

A city hall official who asked not be identified said the vehicle was actually bought for the use of former city administrator Vlad Mata purportedly to inspect flooded areas.

GARBAGE TRUCKS

The COA will also look into the purchase of two reconditioned compactor trucks, only one of which is currently being used for garbage collection and only after the city completed a major repair.

Quinto pointed out that COA rules mandate all government agencies, including local government units, except municipalities, to buy brand new vehicles and equipment instead of second-hand or reconditioned.

The other compactor truck remains in a repair shop in Mangaldan.

The two trucks were reportedly already defective when these were delivered by the suppliers.

Other purchases to be looked into include a reconditioned barge and two second-hand backhoes, one of which has yet to be delivered by the supplier.

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