The House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability and Justice are set conduct a preliminary probe on the purported “grossly disadvantageous” joint venture agreement between the Bureau of Corrections and Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. tomorrow.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairperson of the Good Government and Public Accountability panel, confirmed the scheduled May 9 investigation on the public-private land-lease deal in Davao del Norte.
“Politics aside, every accusation that a public transaction is highly detrimental to government is a grave matter that we are duty-bound to investigate painstakingly,” Pimentel said.
“Under the law, the performance of any contract deemed “manifestly and grossly disadvantageous” to government constitutes a punishable corrupt practice, whether or not the public officers involved profited or will profit from the transaction,” Pimentel said.
House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez raised a howl over the lease contract between BuCor and Tadeco that allegedly robbed the government of millions of pesos in recurring non-tax income.
Tadeco is owned by the family of Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr.
Both Alvarez and Floirendo are known political allies and personal friends of President Duterte. Alvarez and Floirendo represent the first and second districts of Davao del Norte, respectively. (Charissa M. Luci)