THE locally manufactured Autoclave Machine that was refused acceptance by hospital authorities in Passi City District Hospital that had been feasted by radio commentators for almost three weeks now, was a cheap shot.

What’s funny is the outright defense of the General Services Office (GSO) chief, Ramy Salcedo over the air to protect the two most favored of stooges of the governor, Manuel “Boy” Mejorada and Levy Buenavista.

Had the GSO chief been a practicing lawyer, he should keep his mouth shut as it is hard to defend errant clients. What emboldens him, he has yet to say, but as he lied defending his bosses-in-distress, truth has become the last casualty.

I clearly heard what he said over the radio, that they will investigate the winning-bidder if it really qualifies to join the bid to supply that despicable autoclave machine. Whom is he kidding?

Transparency dictates there should be a Pre Qualification of Bidders who may join the bid for a certain contract before the bidding starts. Does it mean the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members are playing dumb to get a share of the loot?

Salcedo deliberate or not, allowed Mejorada and Buenavista to become BAC members when they are not qualified being coterminous with the governor. Did they force their way to the BAC to dictate the zarsuela at the screening room?

Besides which, other than the required prequalification of participating bidders, Salcedo and the rest of BAC members have already the idea that all the companies joining the bid are under one owner. They should know that fraus est celare fraudem – to conceal a fraud is fraud!

BAC members are so derelict in accountabilities and responsibilities attendant thereto. If they really understood what they are doing, then the best solution to be drawn is – resign and be another crook supplier-contractor!

Salcedo downplays the anomaly in the autoclave machine acquisition as an inadvertently overlooked error of transaction. Por eso, is he trying to imply that all BAC members are non compos mentis – not of sound mind when the bidding was conducted?

Here comes another messy mess, the acquisition of the P2.4M Anesthetic Machine for Calinog District Hospital rejected by hospital authorities. It makes the P1.3M autoclave machine a cheap shot!

This deliberate injustice to the people’s money is a crime crying to God for punishment. Investigative journalists circling around and sniffing on doors of notorious government offices has now a new Capitol racket they have to deal with.

Gov. Niel Tupas failed to address the rampant graft and corruption in the Capitol that the compromise for all these messy deals are now in great jeopardy – so would be his own leadership and that of his children in public offices.

I could have spared the governor in this trouble, unfortunately, as always, he entrusted the delicate task to his most intimate neighbors in the Capitol who are now emboldened to stab him at the back whenever he turns his face around.

What’s more, he allowed Mejorada to stay as if still the provincial administrator when the law says he does not qualify. Worse, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) declared that position vacant. This alone can generate waves of journalistic lamentation!

Once, department heads whose position are co-equal with him were constant recipients of Mejorada’s memorandum. But jurisprudence dictates; par in parem non habei imperium – an equal has no dominion over an equal!

Gov. Tupas failed to notice the Capitol happenings when Mejorada was the provincial administrator. Every time this man sneezes, everyone catches flu. Yet, he allowed him to stay giving an impression they are inseparable. On why, only God knows!

But good official like former governor Arthur Defensor doesn’t care whether Mejorada is glued to his seat and feeling comfortable in office. With all the recent happenings, surely, Gov. Defensor would throw that chair out of the window with him!

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