AS THE NEWLY-formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) officially begins its investigation into anomalous flood control programs, the Ombudsman finds it rather imperative to impose a six-month preventive suspension on 16 other personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In an order signed by acting Ombudsman Dante Vargas, all 16 suspended personnel are assigned at the the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engineering Office in Bulacan where the bulk of the so-called ghost projects were discovered.
The Ombudsman said that the suspension order, which took effect yesterday (September 18) was issued to prevent the concerned personnel from altering evidence or exerting influence over the ongoing investigation.
It is also meant to safeguard public records and ensure that accountability measures can proceed without obstruction.
ZEROING ON BULACAN
Slapped with preventive suspension include heads and officers-in-charge of the Construction Section, Planning and Design Section, Maintenance Section, Quality Section, Maintenance Section, Administrative Section, Budget Unit, Procurement Unit, cashier, project engineers, and engineer.
Prior to the issuance of the preventive suspension order by the Ombudsman, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon formally filed criminal complaints against top officials of the DPWH Bulacan First Engineering District Office.
Named respondents were former Bulacan 1st district engineer Henry Alcantara, assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, Construction Section chief Jaypee Mendoza, and chief accountant Juanito Mendoza.
In a memorandum dated September 19, Dizon ordered the immediate implementation of the Ombudsman decision.
NO MORE FILING
The DPWH secretary earlier told members of the Senate during a congressional inquiry that the agency would file at least one corruption case every week as the ICI intensifies its probe on alleged anomalous flood control projects.
Dizon however changed his game plan, even as he hinted at limiting DPWH actions to collating evidence for submission to the ICI for proper legal disposition.
Dizon clarified that while the DPWH previously filed complaints directly with the Office of the Ombudsman, the ICI—constituted under an executive order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.— will now file all future cases.
“From now on, the ICI will file the cases with the Ombudsman or the courts,” he was quoted as saying during the senate hearing.
COA FRAUD AUDIT
Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba likewise endorsed additional fraud audit reports in relation to flood control projects located in the municipalities of Plaridel, Pandi, and Bocaue.
The flood control projects, which are in question, were being tagged as ghost or graft-ridden projects, either through the lack of necessary supporting documents, non-existence of any civil works, discrepancy in the pinpointed location and even flawed approved bid plans.
These projects, Cordoba noted, have been allocated with a total cost of P389.6 million.