Contractor licenses ‘not for sale,’ says board
The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) assured the public that the licenses issued by the body are “not for sale,” amid claims of irregularities arising from the heightened scrutiny of flood control projects.
“The Board has not authorized any individual, group, or third-party consultant to act on its behalf or to guarantee contractor accreditation in exchange for money,” the government body said in a statement on Thursday.
According to PCAB, it is conducting investigations on “individuals and entities misrepresenting themselves as PCAB personnel or offering “shortcuts for a fee” on social media.
PCAB reminded the public and contractors to use only its official channels and be vigilant in their transactions.
“Any suspicious offers or misrepresentations should be reported to the Board so that appropriate action may be taken,” PCAB said.
It also vowed to “fully cooperate with any investigation” in relation to contractor accreditations.
The statement from PCAB came after Sen. Panfilo Lacson spoke of an alleged payment scheme in exchange for contractor accreditation.
During the Senate plenary session late Wednesday night, Lacson said he had talked to private contractors who “had this experience of being offered accreditation by PCAB” and were told that the needed certificates and other requirements could be taken care of for a fee.
“I think it was around P2 million to start with,” he said, referring to the supposed fee.
The senator also said the board had been “tainted with corruption” in connection with the alleged “ghost” flood control projects being investigated in the Senate.
