The Ganza and Solibao fiasco

BULL’S HIT
Rudy Garcia

Time and again, we hear and see whistleblowers singing their songs for good but sad to say, only a few stand behind them. They sing a different tune that only nincompoops hear but refuse to listen.

For them, a song could be long and difficult to sing but they have to finish it no matter what, thus we should appreciate them. However, rarely do we knew of government officials blowing the whistle against their co-officials, because oftentimes they prefer to close their eyes, shut their mouth and hear nothing for obvious reasons.

We can count by the fingers officials who have balls to ring the bell against their colleagues, but good to note that we have one in Baguio City to add on this good breed in the city government.

A genuine Ilokano, this former Baguio City councilor who served his term is one among local officials who has good record. Although out from politics, his good attitude stays the same, boosting his sense of social responsibility.

He called the attention of my bubuwit when they happened to meet along Session Road, one afternoon last week, and over a cup of coffee inside a coffee shop along the popular thoroughfare, the former councilor told a story.

He gave my bubuwit copy of a proposed board resolution from the Baguio City Burnham Park Management Authority.

Based from the said document, this proposed board resolution was prepared and adapted on Nov. 25, 2008 resolving the move to conduct public bidding of Solibao and Ganza Restaurants at Burnham Park since the contract of lease between the City Government of Baguio, and spouses Moises and Zenaida Cating, operators of Solibao and Ganza Restaurants had long expired.

Further resolved in the resolution was to task the bids and awards committee to conduct the public bidding while Community Environment Parks Management Office was ordered to immediately prepare the terms and reference for the conduct of its open and competitive bidding.

This was a supposed good and appreciable move by the board but it was a surprise why three out from the 12 members of the board did not sign the proposed board resolution for reasons known only to them.

Solibao and Ganza Restaurants as we know are in a prime location and surely investors would come rushing to file their bids once the bidding pushes through but those three rotten eggs in the city government have taken for granted this appropriate move. This the document was made to eat dust inside the cabinets at City Hall and likely to be thrown in the garbage bin later.

To give you a clue who these three monkeys are, two of them still hold key positions in the city government as department heads while the other one held a top position at city hall during the past administration and he was unlucky he lost in the election.

If the story of the former councilor is true that favors filled the pocket of these three monkeys, then I challenge the new administration of this mountain resort city under Mayor Mauricio Domogan Jr to look into this matter. Matagal na palang tapos ang kontrata, bakit hindi pa pinabidding?

I don’t want to think that this matter would again be placed inside a bottle and covered tightly for the stench not to come out, but we have a saying, “walang baho ang hindi sisingaw.”

The former councilor is now twisting the cap and now ready to open the bottle. As the document lies in silence, this could soon lead to public outcry and legal suits and worst public embarrassment.

Am I right Mr. and Mrs C. as in “Cababain” (shameful) and the three eggs, Mr. RB as in “rotten boss” ( nalaos o nabugok), Mr. LB as in “ little boss” (agin agin) and miss LC as in “lady cashier” (agruprupa nga kwarta)?

Just hang on dear readers and we will be giving you more details and updates in my next columns. Abangan!