Connivance seen in P1.21M fuel
scam, bill unpaid for four years
Last month, the owner of a gasoline station at
Canelar presented a bill for the amount that he said represented collectible
amounts from the city council for the years 2008 to 2011.
The proprietor of Shell Canelar Refueling
Station, a Patrick Lee, wrote the city
councilors informing them of their unpaid fuel bills.
These “purchases” are made by way of “gas slips”
issued by an employee at the city council which were used to draw fuel at the
station.
A summary of the over withdrawals of diesel oil
showed that these were accredited to 42 vehicles,all government units, used by
the city council.
Incidentally while come councilors are not
provided with vehicles, the list showed that some others have more units than one.
In the list, four vehicles were listed in the
names of former Vice Mayor Mannix Dalipe for the years 2008 to 2010.
The biggest number of units was 10 plate numbers
for cars supposed to be listed under Vice Mayor Cesar Ituralde for the year
2010 and 2011.
Most councilors have a vehicle each to their
names and to which were assigned gas slips that were used to withdraw diesel
oil from the refueling station.
According to the list, the gas station claims the
amount of P144,595.11 for the year 2008, the amount of P435,275.58 for the
years 2009, the amount of P379,017.78 for the year 2010 and the amount of P255,150.22
for the year 2011.
Per official, the biggest total amount
collectible for four years were under the name of Vice Mayor Ituralde (for 10
vehicles) in the amount of P154,345.89. Councilor Charlie Mariano (two units)
has an amount of P103,895.73 to his name. For the year 2010, he had the amount
of P85,416 to his name.
In third place was the name of former vice mayor
Mannix Dalipe (for 4 vehicles) in the amount of P70,337.76.
Meantime, the City Council passed two separate
resolutions for the office of the City Legal Officer to
answer the demand as a group and to check the gasoline stubs in
support of the P1.214 M demand of the
Shell Gasoline in Canelar and to refer the matter to the Committee on
Good Government .
Most if not all of the 24 former and present
City Councilors including Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde and former Vice Mayor
Mannix Dalipe, Jr. received a demand letter from Shell Gasoline
Station in Canelar of Patrick Lee in this city .
Councilor Rudy Bayot presented his side that this
is done by not only one person but a connivance among people in the City
Council .
Bayot also said that there is a “mastermind “ on
the issuances, sale or use of these gas slips.
Bayot added that this is “an insult “ to the
council saying that he was even offered if he wanted to sell his
gasoline stub.
“Mucho aqui connivance, tiene aqui mastermind” Bayot said
saying that “insulto este.”
Bayot was
disgruntled over the demand letter sent to him by Mr. k Lee saying that he
has not consumed that much.
Councilor Jawo Jimenez also said that per
gasoline allowance , he did not made an excess for that matter and that he
never had an “overdraft” of gasoline consumption.
On the other hand, Councilor Juan Elago said
that it was not the City Council who
entered into contract with Shell Gasoline Station but the city government .
“The City Government has the contract and the
liability is of the city government ,” Elago said.
According to Elago, following the theory of
Councilor Gerky Valesco ,the Vice Mayor being the father of the City
Council shall come up with the resolution to pay while filing
a case against those involved in the anomaly.
“Whether we like it or not , it’s the city council
to pay, “ Elago said .
Councilor Valesco said that this issue on the
gasoline consumption should be made in a collective approach. (Letty M.
Militante ) (102614)
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