By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Wednesday released the initial list of 10 officials from its regional offices that will be subjected to an investigation for supposedly living lavish lifestyles and being involved in the construction of substandard projects.
In a press conference at the DPWH head office, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon noted that show cause orders were issued to the following personnel from seven regional offices: National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Director (RD) Gerard Opulencia (lavish lifestyle); Central Visayas (Region 7) RD Danilo Villa (lavish lifestyle); former Mimaropa (Region 4-B) RD Gerald Pacanan (substandard projects); Cordillera Autonomous Region RD Khadaffy Tangelo (failure to cooperate with the ongoing investigation); Central Visayas’s Right of Way Acquisition and Legal Division Chief, lawyer Brando Raya (lavish lifestyle);
Former District Engineer (DE) Isabelo Baleros; Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineering Office (DEO) (substandard projects); DE Almer Miranda, Pampanga 1st DEO (substandard projects); DE Gil B. Lorenzo, La Union DEO, (substandard project); DE Arturo L. Gonzales, Jr., Quezon City 1st DEO (substandard project) and DE Johnny L. Protesta, Jr., Quezon City 2nd DEO (substandard project).
“Again this is just an initial list, based on the reports we have received and evidence that was submitted by different sources, so we have sent official show cause orders to these officials of the DPWH, which are included in our top to bottom cleansing,” he said.
He said the officials were given five days from receipt of the order to submit their responses.
“We are giving them five days to submit their written explanations of the reports that we have received against them and later on depending on the results of investigation, appropriate administrative charges will be filed against them. This is the process stated under the Civil Service law,” he said.
“If they, the officials, think that I’m not going to take this seriously, I hope this is proof that we are serious, that the President is serious about this and we will not spare nobody, top to bottom, whether you are a former Secretary, Undersecretary, Assistant Secretary, Regional Director, District Engineer, this institution needs to be fixed,” Dizon said.
Dizon reiterated his order for all department employees to cooperate and provide the documents to the investigating body in connection with anomalous flood control projects.
“Please comply with our two orders to cooperate fully with the ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) and preserve and submit all the documents required by the latter. If they will not cooperate, or the same thing will happen to them. They will be charged administratively even criminally,” the DPWH chief said. (PNA)
