CEBU CITY, Philippines - Businessman and whistleblower Crisologo Saavedra on Tuesday filed a complaint against seven officials of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) for awarding the asphalt overlay project of the taxi stand and entrance to the VIO lounge without public bidding.Saavedra also asked the Office of the Ombudsman to place the officials under preventive suspension pending investigation on the allegation. In his complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, the businessman claimed that the overpriced project was awarded to a favored contractor. He said MCIAA General Manager Danilo Francia issued a notice to proceed to the contractor without any supporting documents. Aside from Francia, also named respondents in the complaint were Romeo Bersonda, chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee and manager for Airport Operations department; Alvarro Derramas, Property Division manager; Eduardo Ginete of the Civil Works Division; Catherine Sepulveda of the Finance Department; Grace del Bando of the Accounting Division; and Fortunato Sanchez of Socor Construction. Saavedra said that on October 27, 2006, a Requisition and Issue Voucher for the asphalt overlay of the taxi stand and entrance to the airport's VIP lounge was issued with an estimated contract cost of P944,174.99. He said Francia issued a notice to proceed to the contractor on November 14, 2006 despite the absence of documents like the bids and awards evaluation of contractor's proposal, a resolution recommending award to the contractor and a notice of awarded contract. He said the notice to proceed was normally issued only after the contract had been signed and other requirements had been submitted and complied with by the contractor. He said a final inspection report submitted by the project's Inspection and Monitoring Team showed that the project was completed on December 8, 2006 while its contract was signed a few days later on December 13. He said the Bids and Awards Committee did not bother to evaluate and deliberate the contractor's proposal which indicated that no negotiations took place. Saavedra said this meant that the contractor did not submit a proposal that would have served as the basis for the negotiation. | 
