MONTHS after news broke out on the involvement of officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Sec. Vince Dizon started grinding his axe anew by firing eight engineers from its regional and district offices.
In a media briefing, Dizon said among those relieved from their positions were four regional directors (RDs), two assistant RDs and two district engineers (DEs).
The list includes the controversial husband of Quezon Governor Helen Tan.
Ordered relieved were RDs Ronnel M. Tan (Region 1), Jovel G. Mendoza (Region 4A), Virgilio C. Eduardo (Region 5) and Danilo J. Villa (Region 7); Assistant RDs Neil C. Farala (Region 4-B), Annie S. Dela Vega (Region 5) and DEs Ruel V. Umali (Metro Manila 3rd District Engineering Office (DEO) and Manny B. Bulusan (South Manila DEO).
“We are officially relieving today for various reasons specifically because there are ongoing investigations here, which I cannot fully disclose to you, but suffice it to say we are investigating a lot of people in the department,” Dizon said in his announcement.
Likewise relieved were three local officials who had failed to meet the qualifications imposed by the Civil Service Commission — officer-in-charge District Engineers (DEs) Sherylann Gonzales (La Union 1st DEO), Roy Pacanan (Iloilo City DEO ) and Peter Scheller Soco (Leyte 4th DEO).
In a related development, Dizon said he would testify in the Sandiganbayan trial of the flood control case against former lawmaker Zaldy Co set on Jan. 20.
“I don’t know what the rules of the Sandiganbayan, if it is open. I’m not sure, I’m just announcing to you that I will testify in the case in Oriental Mindoro of former Cong. Zaldy Co.”
“We will give you updates on my sworn testimony in that case. Since I am the complainant in many of these cases, you will see me testifying in many cases in the coming weeks, months. It is part of the process of holding those who should be held accountable,” he quipped.