NILINAW ni Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri na walang nilabag na batas ang pamahalang lungsod dahil ang lahat ng pondong inilabas para mga developmental projects ay dumaan at inaprubahan ng Sangguniang Panglungsod base na rin sa ipinag-uutos ng Local Government Code.
Ayon kay Echiverri, lahat ng proyekto ng lungsod na pumasok sa kontrata ay aprubado lahat ng Sangguniang Panglungsod at ang sinasabing 2011 Commission on Audit (COA) report ay napag-alamang luma na at naiayos na rin ito sa konseho.
“My political opponents are running out of issues to throw at me that they are now using old and outdated sources that will not stand under careful scrutiny and investigation”, paliwanag pa ng alkalde.
Sinabi pa nito, hindi mabibigyan ng seal of good housekeeping award ang kanyang pinamamahalaang lungsod ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) noong 2011 at 2012 kung mayroon silang dinayang COA report.
“The late Secretary Jesse Robredo (dating DILG secretary) would have been disqualified Caloocan from receiving the award since a clean report from COA is one of the criteria set by the DILG”, sabi pa ni Echiverri.
Dagdag pa ng alkalde, ang P89.911 million na ginamit ng pamahalaang lungsod para sa local development projects para sa taong 2011 ay aprubado ng Sangguniang Panglungsod sa ilalim ng City Ordinance No. 0468, series of 2010.
“The specific details of the project sought to be implemented were discussed during the budget deliberations. The minutes of the deliberations of the City Council will attest to the fact that the specific projects were presented and evaluated by the council before the approval”, sabi pa nito.
Katunayan pa nito, ang city council ay nagpasa ng subsequent resolution, (Resolution No. 1985, series of 2012) na naglilinaw, nagpapatunay at nagpapatibay sa lahat ng kontrata na pinasok ng Lungsod ng Caloocan.
Nakasaad pa sa nasabing resolusyon na “all the foregoing programs/projects were entered into, executed, and implemented in accordance with the details thereof, as presented to, and evaluated by, the Sangguniang Panglungsod prior to approval”.
“The minutes of the City Council budget deliberations and the subsequent resolution of the City Council reiterating their approval of the specific project and programs has placed this matter to rest”, dagdag pa ng alkalde.
“The City Council passed Resolution No. 1980, s. 2012 wherein they identified the list of projects to be funded out of the Land Bank of the Philippines loan and ratifying other documents for the effective implementation of the resolution”, sabi pa ni Echiverri hinggil sa P980 million supplemental budget.
Ayon pa sa alkalde, gumagamit ang kanyang mga kalaban sa politika ng maruming paraan para siraan ang kanyang kredibilidad habang nakiusap ito sa mga mamamahayag na imbestigahan munang mabuti ang isang isyu bago ito ibalita.