By Erika Mae P. Sinaking and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporters
PUBLIC WORKS Secretary Vivencio “Vince” B. Dizon on Thursday filed criminal complaints against 20 workers and four contractors before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan province.
“The President told me that everything that needs to be answered should be answered,” he told a news briefing. “Enough talk, enough process, let’s take action, and this is our first action.”
The respondents were accused of graft, malversation and violations of the procurement law. Mr. Dizon said the offenses involve more than P8.8 million, making them nonbailable. “The penalty for all counts of these offenses is life in prison,” he added.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials charged include former district engineers, assistant engineers, project engineers and cashiers who allegedly authorized questionable payments. Among them are Henry Alcantara, Bryce Erickson Hernandez and JP Mendoza, who have all appeared at a House of Representatives probe of bogus flood control projects.
Four contractors were also impleaded. The charges cover five flood control projects in Bulacan, with evidence gathered over the past week.
Mr. Dizon said more cases would be filed in the coming weeks and vowed full cooperation with the planned independent commission that will probe flood control anomalies nationwide.
“We will serve as a resource for the independent commission. Whatever documents and testimonies they need, we will provide, and we will give full cooperation,” he said.
The secretary also urged citizens to participate in the accountability drive by monitoring projects, checking if they exist on the ground, and submitting documentation of irregularities.
“Let us channel our anger to catch these people,” he said, noting that evidence of unexplained wealth posted on social media could also be submitted.
Mr. Dizon also sought to address concerns of harassment against ordinary DPWH employees, stressing that “just because they are wearing a DPWH uniform does not mean they’re thieves.”
On Wednesday, he issued a memo temporarily suspending the prescribed office uniform amid the ongoing investigation. “It is pitiful… sometimes they get caught, they get harassed when they ride jeeps, buses, the MRT,” he said, citing requests from the DPWH union to protect innocent workers from unfair treatment.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit (CoA) has flagged billions of pesos in questionable DPWH disbursements over the past decade.
The agency had issued 10,333 notices worth about P308 billion against DPWH spending since 2010, CoA Chairman Gamaliel A. Cordoba told lawmakers at a House hearing. These include 1,985 disallowance notices worth P5.79 billion, which cover transactions deemed unnecessary, excessive or illegal.
Another 8,294 suspension notices worth P303.67 billion were issued, temporarily holding state spending that may be irregular or unlawful.
CoA also issued 54 charge notices against DPWH worth P8.8 million for unremitted revenues.
The flood control controversy has intensified scrutiny of the agency’s infrastructure projects, long plagued by allegations of corruption and fund misuse.