The Commission on Audit (CoA) has rebuked the leadership of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTSP) over the culture of corruption, dishonesty and deceit at the institution, granting the petition of Wing-An Construction for payment of a monetary judgment based on a Final Award dated 3 November 2021 by the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission.
On 26 September 2018, Selwyn Lao, president of Wing-An Construction, reported to Commissioner Greco Belgica of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) that he was harassed and tortured by USTSP officials with PhDs after their names after he refused to accede to their demand for a 10-percent “SOP” in the construction of an eight-story student center and education complex costing P200,000,000.
Wing-An claimed a 60.58 percent work completion at a cost of P65,037,965.14 after it finished major construction work such as bored “piling works, foundation works, five and one-half floors of the eight-story building.” Still, USTSP insisted that Wing-An had accomplished only 39.59 percent of the project.
On 30 April 2018, a case for oppression and serious dishonesty was filed against USTSP president Dr. Rosalito A. Quirino, vice president Jonathan S. Oche, the USTSP board of regents, the project management advisory committee, and the project management officers.
On 11 September 2028, a case for gross neglect of duty or violation of Paragraph 3 of Republic Act 3019 was filed against the CHEd chairman and the USTSP chairman of the board of regents.
USTSP president Quirino launched psychological warfare, with misleading effects, with a daily tirade in the media warning against corrupt government officials.
As per the Tripartite Committee headed by engineer Sabeniano D. Caliao Jr. of DPWH Region X, Wing-An’s actual work accomplishment was 48.86 percent.
In January 2018, USTSP paid Wing-An only P8.3 million for the second progress billing submitted by Wing-An in June 2016.
But Rosalito A. Quirino, PhD, OIC USTSP president, in his letter to Everett T. Lim, State Auditor IV, Audit Team Leader, stated among other things the following:
“In the said CoA report, the final payment (referring to the P8.3 million for the second progress billing) made by Wing-An Construction, the “reported partial accomplishment (by Wing-An of 39.59 percent) was found reasonable per the original contract.
“May we request for your review and/or guidance in the light of a prior CoA report affirming the university’s payment of the 39.59-percent final accomplishment of Wing-An Construction.”
Earlier, Quirino wrote Ronald L. Adamat, PhD, P.D., claiming the CoA had affirmed USTSP’s final payment to Wing-An of P8.3 million for the accomplishment of 39.59-percent of the work.
The foregoing was too much for the sensibilities of audit team leader Lim. CoA rebuked the university head for the culture of corruption, dishonesty, and deceit in the top echelons of the university.