EDITORIAL

Why are the big fishes in the Mt. Data-Bontoc road anomalies not being relieved?

When will these exposes on alleged irregularities and anomalies on implementation of road projects along the Halsema Highway (particularly the Mt. Data-Bontoc road) end? And why are regional and Mountain Province Dept. of Public Works and Highways officials suspected of complicity in the projects not being relieved as part of government standard operating procedures pending investigation on the alleged anomalies so they won’t influence outcome of the probe?

Latest information from disgruntled sources in the Cordillera regional DPWH office bared a top official in the agency and a top elective official in Mountain Province “own” the contracts. Contractors for the projects were reportedly dummies of the two. The DPWH official reportedly “owns” 40 percent of the contracts which the elective official allegedly “owns” 60 percent of the projects. The elective official was reportedly responsible for the appointment of the DPWH official.

True or not, the investigating team from the national office of the DPWH could look into this. Or are they playing dumb to spare the two officials. The team could also start investigating why sand and gravel for the road project were bought from far San Fernando La Union when in fact, these materials could be bought from quarry sites along the Chico River (only a few kilometers from the project sites).

This paper reported earlier that lawyer Joel Jacob, director of the legal office of the Dept. of Public Works and Highways was urged by local contractor Jeronimo Dup-et to “investigate this midnight highway robbery done on the flagship projects of President Arroyo in Mountain Province.”

Dup-et said the “DPWH programmed and approved that the source of aggregates (sand and gravel) will come from Naguillan, La Union making the prices of the road concreting much more higher (overpriced) compared to those whose aggregates come from the Chico River.” The Chico River runs along the Halsema and local quarry sites are reportedly only around 5 km from the road projects.

The quarry site in San Fernando, La Union where sand and gravel were taken for the projects is around 200 km from the road project. The people are wondering who engineered this and those who gave instructions? As Dup-et asked: Who benefited from these? How much was doled out? Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.earlier bared in Baguio he would fire or suspend DPWH officials and blacklist contractors responsible for the almost 90 percent slippage or “anomalous” implementation of the multi-million Mt. Data-Bontoc portion of the Halsema Highway if investigations prove their culpability.

Ebdane ordered DPWH officials and contractors to finish the road project according to correct technical specifications setting the deadline third week this month. To date, workers are feverishly trying to comply with Ebdane’s deadline while officials who allegedly were part of the payoffs are egging on their personnel with anxiety since Ebdane also said he would fire or blacklist erring officials or contractors responsible for the ‘anomalous” project Project sites include phases two and three of the Halsema highway rehabilitation project.

The ongoing removal of defective works was followed by the relief of seven technical DPWH personnel in the Cordillera responsible for supervision of substandard projects in line with the current investigation of the agency on the alleged implementation of substandard works. But according to disgruntled DPWH officials who said they are “stomaching” the bead doings of their bosses, the axing of the seven personnel was “just for show.”

Engineer Mariano Alquiza, DPWH regional director, said the relief of three materials engineers, two project engineers and two project inspectors was due their alleged dereliction of duty in ensuring the implementation of quality government projects especially the priority projects of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the Cordillera region.

The relieved DPWH employees, he said, are still allowed to perform other duties and responsibilities as technical personnel but not to supervise government projects for a period of six months. He didn’t divulge their names. Alquiza said there were delays in the removal of the defective concrete pavement blocks due to inclement weather condition as well as availability of breakers.

What will come out from investigations by Ebdane’s men on the road anomalies remains to be seen. A haphazard investigation and acquittal of those who were involved in the alleged anomalies would make more constituents of the this Banana Republic more skeptical about an administration under fire for a series of anomalies from election irregularities to the ZTE deal which forced Benjamin Abalos, former Commission on Elections chairman to resign.