NorCot guv dares COA to audit MalMar project

North Cotabato governor, Emmylou J. Taliño-Mendoza, challenged the Commission on Audit to conduct an immediate audit on the Malitubog-Maridagao (MalMar) Irrigation Project following an on site inspection of the project.
The MalMar Project is located in the provinces of North Cotabato and Maguindanao covering 16,957 hectares as a total target area, subdivided into two stages: Stage I which targets 10,840 hectares worth P 3.1 billion; and Stage II which covers 6,117 hectares worth P 6.2 billion.
It has been alleged that some components of the project have not been actually completed despite the billions of pesos already spent by the government for its completion. Out of the 10,840 hectares target areas only 2,578 hectares worth P 3.1 Billion represent the irrigated area. “For the benefit of everyone and to resolve and put to rest implementation issues,” the governor has called for an immediate audit of the project by the COA.
This year, an additional P405 Million has been allocated for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to increase the coverage areas with an additional 1,712 hectares for irrigation.
Sources opine, that the NIA has proposed another P6.2 Billion budget for 2012 to implement the Stage II of the project although NIA has yet to finish the Stage I of the project.
By reason of this long delay in the completion, Regional Development Council (RDC) 12 Resolution No. 109, series of 2011 recommended to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) the organization of an Implementation, Monitoring and Advisory Group (IMAG) to monitor the completion of the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project (MMIP) I.
This also prompted Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza, TUCP Party List, Rep. Hon. Jesus N. Sacdalan, 1st district, North Cotabato, Rep.. Nancy A. Catamco, 2nd district, North Cotabato and Rep. Angelo B. Palmones, Agham Party List to introduce to the 15th Congress, House Resolution No. 1641 directing the House Committee on Agriculture, to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the alleged problems and other critical issues surrounding the Malitubog-Maridagao (MalMar) Irrigation Project being implemented by the NIA for the purpose of coming-up with measures and recommendations on how to finish the project soonest for the benefit of concerned communities and to increase agricultural productivity in the two provinces.
In 2001, then NIA regional director Makmod Mending was killed when a grenade was thrown inside the mosque where he was praying. It may be recalled that Mending had earlier requested Taliño-Mendoza who was then the representative of the 1st district, to investigate MalMar on alleged anomalies hounding the project implementation.
Last July, a bomb exploded in front of the office of COA and last August 12 the NIA provincial office in North Cotabato was also bombed–both incidents reportedly an offshoot of the controversial MalMar Irrigation Project.