ARMM government sues contractors on incomplete infra projects

COTABATO CITY - For failing to complete school buildings they
committed to construct, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has
started hunting unscrupulous private contractors who failed to perform the task
stipulated under the contract.

ARMM regional government has already filed at least three
cases against unnamed contractors who have failed to complete the construction
of school buildings four years after the contracts have been signed.

Cases are also set to be filed against another 16 firms to
ensure the completion of school building projects as specified in contracts
signed last September 2011 with the regional government.

These contracts were consummated under ARMM Acting Governor
Ansaruddin Adiong.

School projects with one storey building and with two to
three classrooms do not take years to accomplish, said Amir Mawallil,
ARMM spokesperson.

Surely it doesn’t take four years to finish one school
building given this specification. We have previously met with these
contractors and informed them in several meetings that their negligence is
unacceptable , he added.

Mawallil said running after contractors who failed to fulfill
their contracts is the regional government's way of affirming its commitment to
effect meaningful reforms and end corruption in the region.

The Hataman government has previously identified the regional
Department of Education and Department of Public Works and Highways as the two
most corrupt agencies in the ARMM during the past administrations but had make
up and perform well in the succeeding years after his take over.

Mawallil, quoting the governor, said that delayed completion
of projects is clearly unacceptable and is a disservice to the people of ARMM.

The latest case was filed on December 15 against one
contractor who failed to finish six school buildings in Lanao del Sur.

Out of the six school buildings it committed to build
in 2011, not one building was finished, said Mawallil who has not yet
identified the name of the contractor and the areas under his contract.

Following the investigation of the regional government, it
was found that a number of school building projects have been pending
completion also in different ARMM provinces for years.

Mawallil said that the ARMM regional government is committed
in going after the negligent contractors responsible for these unfinished
projects.

We are also currently reviewing past contracts to see
if there are any more cases that require us to file cases of specific
performance to compel contractors and make sure they fulfill their duties, as
agreed upon with the regional government,” Mawallil added.

Hataman has raised these concerns over the two-day summit of
Bottom-Up Budgeting where he met the hundreds of participants for Local
Government Units of ARMM, different line agencies and Civil Society Organizations.

Your days are numbered,” ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said of the
contractor.

He said in 2011, we learned that 2,001 school building
construction were bid out before he assumed office as OIC governor.

But four years after the contracts were awarded, we found
out these school buildings were not completed as specified in the contracts, so
we file charges against them in proper forum,” Hataman added. (Ferdinandh
Cabrera)