'Fiscalizer' Archival wants more CH anomalies exposed

CEBU, Philippines — With the cases on the garbage collection anomaly already filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, City Councilor Nestor Archival, who was one of those who painstakingly pushed for its investigation, said he will continue to be a "fiscalizer," though he expressed support to Mayor Michael Rama’s vision of a Singapore-like Cebu City.

“Nana man gyud na sa korte, let’s wait na lang unsay mugawas,” Archival said.

Archival, however, stressed that, he will support Rama’s administration and his vision of a Singapore-like Cebu City.

“Whatever program sa Mayor, bisan kinsay mayor sa syudad, basta para sa kaayuhan sa syudad, in our case sa minority, ako gyud ng gipaninguha nga parehas mig direction sa akong kauban sa minority nga mutabang gyud mi sa Mayor,” Archival said.

However, Archival said it doesn’t mean he will already stop looking into any irregularities with transactions of the City government.

“Fiscalizer mi… Whatever the thing is irregular, sa akong punto, amo gyud ng i-raise same sa among gihimo before,” Archival said.

Archival dislclosed that after the issue on garbage, he continues to work to question the City’s Covid-19 spending.

“Wala pa ko nahuman sa pandemic. Asa naman tong mga dokumento nga akong gipangayo?" he said.

Just like the issue on garbage collection and its contractor Docast, the Comission on Audit also flagged the City government under the late mayor Edgardo Labella for its Covid-19 expenses, especially with its suppliers and the Cebu City Qurantine Center.

Archival said these issues have not been settled up to now.

Archival is looking into checking the spending of the CCQC at the moment since it is no longer used for its purpose, yet the city government is still reportedly spending much for its utilities and manpower.

The meticulous councilor is also looking into the City’s traffic system which he said has not eased down the traffic problem.

“We are spending P500 million aning sa traffic. P500 million ang appropriation para ana, but hangtud karon, nagkaguliyang man gihapon atong traffic,” he said.

Archival said they were told earlier that there is only one contractor for both phases 1 and 2 of the traffic light system project but found out that there were actually two.

“Now, sa akong nahibaw-an dili pareha ang contractor sa phase 1 and 2, magkasinabot ba kaha na? Unya kanus-a man ni mahuman? Dako na kaayo tag gasto,” said Arcival.

There is also the City’s street lighting program which the City government is setting aside a big budget, but some areas remain dim, he said.

Aside from that, Archival said there are still a lot of things in question that need to be answered.

“Daghan pa kaayong mga pangutana nga atong tubagon para ang dagan sa atong pang gubyerno, hapsay ba,” he said.

Rama, for his part, has also pledged to keep looking on some irregularities, saying that to be SG-like, they also have to have a government that is free from corruption. (FREEMAN)