P65-M plunder case filed vs Drilon

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Franklin Drilon is facing a P65-million plunder rap before the Office of the Ombudsman a week after three senators were charged in connection with the pork barrel scam.

The case stems from Drilon’s alleged involvement in the supposedly anomalous and poor construction of the three-story Iloilo Hall of Justice using P200 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 1991.

This dates back to Drilon’s stint as justice secretary during the term of former President Corazon Aquino.

Former Iloilo congressman Augusto Syjuco Jr. lodged the criminal complaint late Monday. He described the offense as a continuing crime, as Drilon is allegedly trying to hide the building’s structural defects by spending another P50 million for repairs using his PDAF allocations for 2012.

Last week, the National Bureau of Investigation filed plunder charges against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the PDAF scam.

Although the plunder charge against Drilon is not related to the pork barrel scam involving businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the complainant accuses him of receiving kickbacks, rebates or commissions from his PDAF releases.

In a 28-page complaint, Syjuco said the Iloilo Hall of Justice was erected by contractor Kanlaon Builders Inc., which merely rented its license, without the conduct of a public bidding.

“During the one-year construction of the Iloilo Hall of Justice, it was marred by numerous irregularities, inconsistencies and anomalies. The apex to these irregularities, inconsistencies and anomalies resulted in the resignation of architect Fred Jurilla and project engineer Joven Dechangco Jr. before the project was completed, mainly for reasons that the contractor and sub-contractors repeatedly and manifestly deviated from following the design and specified construction methods despite frequent objections made by the designer,” Syjuco said.

“Among the violations observed by Jurilla was the use of smaller reinforcing bars. He questioned the post tensioning process used by the contractor which has undermined the structural integrity of the Iloilo Hall of Justice, specifically the post tensioning works of the building’s foundations and beam supports,” he noted.

“The contractor used a one-bagger concrete mixer during the installation of the girders and beams which are linked to the building’s foundations. The use of a one-bagger mixer has affected the consistency and uniformity in the mixing and pouring of concrete, which in turn compromised the integrity of the foundation and supports. The rough finish of the beams is also an indication that the concrete was poured in different times and mixes,” Syjuco added.

Syjuco also said that proof of the questionable structural integrity and defects of the building was revealed after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Iloilo in February 2012.

He claimed that no other building was badly damaged except for the Iloilo Hall of Justice, which was why the regional trial courts (RTC), offices of the clerks of court, Philippine Mediation Center, Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office, and the Public Attorney’s Office decided to vacate the premises.

He alleged that Drilon is now trying to fix the structure by spending another P50 million of his PDAF for repair, strengthening and bar retrofitting despite objections by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter, the New Hall of Justice Movement, judges, stakeholders and the public in general.