Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Tuesday castigated Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Finance Secretary Margarito Teves for snubbing a Senate economic affairs committee investigation on the blacklsting of  three Filipino contractors for alleged corruption.

An incensed Santiago said Gutierrez  and Teves could be cited for contempt for failing to send representatives to the Senate hearing after excusing themselves from the Senate investigation. She also pointed out that both the Department of Finance and Office of the Ombudsman should have conducted their own investigation on the World Bank decision after it came out in November 2007.

"What kind of public officials are Secretary Gary Teves and Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez that they will not act on a cause of action that brings national embarrassment to the entire Philippine govenment in the international community?" she asked during the hearing.

"How dare they flaunt the order of the Philippine Senate to report on what they have done? Because if they have done something then they should have sent a copy of their report or their findings," she added.

Santiago ordered the secretary of the committee to send notices to Gutierrez and Teves, ordering them to explain within seven days from receipt why they should not be cited for contempt.

"They should also be found contemptous because it has been over a year since they were gven an urgent task to do and they appear to have done nothing. They sat on the matter. That is the long and short of it," she said.

At the start of the hearing, Santiago said Teves and Gutierrez sent excuse letters, explaining why they could not come to the hearing.

Teves said he could not come because he had to appear for a hearing before the House of Representatives. "If he chooses to appear in the House, that is his own responsibility. He could have sent a representative, which is our common practice, or send an agent," noted Santiago.

On the other hand, Gutierrez  said that the internal rules of the Ombudsman say that their proceedings are confidential until after their preliminary investigation has been concluded.

"This is an outrageous proposal. We have to wait at her pleasure!" said Santiago.

The World Bank recently blacklisted three Filipino contractors believed to have bribed public officials and rigged the bidding of the Philippines’ National Roads Improvement and Management Program 1.

Santiago cited the projects of the contractors as follows: E.C. de Luna Construction: Tagaytay-Palico road – P104.20 million; road concreting in Palawan – P322.20 million; Tagaytay City flyover – P292.94 million; road construction in Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte – P254.83 million; road improvement in San Jose, Patnongon – P126.68 million; overlay Asluman road, Iloilo and Antique – P997.57 million; and Iloilo East Coast–Capiz road – P530.59 million.

Cavite Ideal Construction: Naga-Toledo road – P805.6 million; Sablayan road in Occidental Mindoro – P889.3 million; Tacloban road in Leyte – P964 million; C-5 flyover in Metro Manila – P765 million; Putlan bridge in Nueva Ecija – P205.6 million; Lotus Central Mall in Imus, Cavite – P425 million; rehabilitation project in Echague, Isabela – P587.9 million; civil works for Sta. Maria bridge in Ilocos Sur – P97.6 million; civil works Baybay Bato in Leyte, Cebu – P856.2 million; civil works Reina Mercedes in Isabela – P562.5 million; Macalelon road in Quezon – P654.7 million; Aritao road in Baguio – P1.422.4 billion; South Luzon Expressway Service Road in Metro Manila – P524.4 million; and Arterial road in South Leyte – P829.7 million.

Santiago did not disclose the list of CM Pancho Construction projects because she did not have their costs.