TWO years passed and the Ombudsman-Visayas is still waiting for the Commission on Audit (COA) report in order to complete its investigation into the construction of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City.

Despite the COA's failure to comply with their request, the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas said it will continue to remind the agency to submit their report.

Roderick Blazo, an anti-graft investigator tasked to investigate the alleged anomalous construction of the CICC, said the COA committed to submit the report during a recent conference.

?They (COA officials) said they will submit the report as soon as possible. I'm done with my investigation but still need the COA report,? Blazo said.

He said he the COA report is needed to back up the Ombudsman?s findings.

The COA report is on the actual expenses used in the construction of the CICC, built by the Cebu provincial government for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit on 2007.

Last May 2009, Regional Trial Court Judge Ester Veloso ordered the Capitol to pay the contractor WT Construction Inc. (WTCI) P263,263,261.41 for site development, structural, architectural, electrical and plumbing on the CICC.

This was in addition to the P573.3 million that the provincial government earlier confirmed as the cost to build the CICC.

The Capitol had refused to pay the additional P263.26 million allegedly because the work was not covered by documentation.

The Capitol also filed a motion for reconsideration before the court.