ASEANEWS HEADLINE-CORRUPTION | MANILA: DPWH chief reassigns execs amid flood mess
Secretary Manuel Bonoan/ Department of Public Works and Highways Facebook page
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DPWH suspends foreign trips of officials, employees amid flood control probe | ANC
DPWH reassigns officials amid probe into flood control project
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MANILA, Philippines — As it continues to reel from accusations of massive anomalies in flood control projects, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has reassigned some of its officials in Bicol, Mimaropa and Calabarzon, particularly in Batangas where a district engineer had been arrested for reportedly attempting to bribe a lawmaker.
In a video message posted yesterday on the DPWH’s Facebook page, Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the revamp followed preventive suspensions imposed on some officials as part of the department’s crackdown on corruption.
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“Gusto natin managot ang dapat managot, makulong ang dapat makulong (We want those accountable to be held accountable and put behind bars),” he said in his message.
Bonoan said they have replaced officials in Batangas’ first district engineering office after district engineer Abelardo Calalo was arrested for allegedly trying to bribe Rep. Leandro Leviste. Calalo is under preventive suspension.
In Catanduanes, Vivian Biacio took over as DPWH district engineer from Simon Arias. Named new assistant district engineer for Albay’s second district engineering office was Leonardo Gonzales, replacing Joanne Morales who in turn took over his post in the province’s third district engineering office.
Editha Babaran has been designated as OIC of the Office of the Regional Director for DPWH Region 4-B, replacing Gerald Pacanan, who has been reassigned.
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Taking over Babaran’s post as assistant regional director for DPWH Cagayan Valley is Ronalyn Ubina.
Bonoan also said the department has deployed validation teams that are now inspecting flood control projects in other provinces, including Bulacan where President Marcos personally discovered a ghost project.
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Despite the controversies hounding the DPWH, Bonoan has made it clear he has no plan to resign, explaining that it is better for him to face the problem head on and play the lead role in weeding out scalawags in the department.
He said it’s easy to resign or turn his back on the problems besetting his department, but evading responsibility is not the right way to find a solution to those problems.
“I will accept accountability, but bear in mind – I will never tolerate or allow any form of corruption now happening,” he said in Filipino.
Bonoan said it is unacceptable that there are substandard and ghost projects due to corruption while ordinary Filipinos have to deal with flooding during heavy rains.
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He urged the public to help them identify corrupt officials in the DPWH and report them through their hotline number 165-02 or via email at [email protected].
Bonoan assured the public that there are only a few scalawags in the DPWH.
“There are more trustworthy and competent people in the DPWH than corrupt ones,” he said in Filipino.
The DPWH chief also announced the creation of an Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Committee, and revealed the Commission on Audit has begun conducting a fraud audit on suspicious projects in Bulacan. — Michelle Zoleta
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