Graft over P102 M flood control projects: 7 Mt Province DPWH execs charged, suspended

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Seven officers of the Mountain Province  District Engineering Office were found with  prima facie  case for falsifying  documents, grave misconduct  and gross neglect of duty on P102 million flood control projects following  complaint filed by Bontoc resident and private complainant Rey Sagandoy here in this capital town.  

Department of  Public  Works and  Highways  Secretary  Rogelio Singson formally charged  members of the bids and awards committee District engineer John Marquez, construction section chief Benedict Matib, assistant maintenance engineer  Domingo Pumecha, and planning and design section chief  Manuel Likigan  for falsification of official documents in administrative case No. OSEC -02-2012.

Singson’s Sept. 10 order revealed changing  of locations of  already identified projects as per special allotment release order (SARO) specifications disregarding  DPWH guidelines and  the Secretary’s approval  for realignment of funds.

Matib was charged for falsification of documents  for stating  in the re-invitation to bid  that  location of the Chico River  flood control project is in Gonogon, Bontoc   instead of  Talubin, Bontocas already indicated in SARO  BMBA110012772.  

Singson’s order also  found Matib  omitting Tambingan in the project Chico River  flood control Poblacion, Caluttit, Capinitan, Tambingan, Pingad, Sabangan, Bontoc Mountain Province.

In the program of work, Marquez, Matib, Pumecha and Likigan were charged for allegedly falsifying documents for stating that the location of said project is in Gonogon and omitting Talubin contrary to the SARO specifications.

Marquez was charged  fort allegedly falsifying documents  in the contract agreement that  bid price is P2.58 million  instead of the submitted  P1.9 million cost for  said flood control project in Gonogon.

Following evaluation of  affidavits and conduct of preliminary investigation,  Singson found  grave misconduct of said BAC members  awarding the  said project to Four  Brothers Construction  in its  calculated bid price of P2.58 million in violation of  RA 9184 and misappropriating  part of the funds  covered by the said SARO.  

Other BAC members Planning and Design  Engr Esther Taynec,  Engr  Artemio Guisala, Engr Romualdo Solang, aside from Marquez, Matib, Pumecha and Likigan  were all charged for  grave misconduct,gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best  interest of the service.

Said order mentioned “there are reasons to believe  that all seven  respondents are   guilty of the offenses  cited above which  warrant dismissal from service.”

The order stated “there is need to temporarily  remove respondents from the scene of their malfeasance  to prevent the possibility of their exerting undue influence  or pressure on the witnesses against them as well as to prevent possibility  of their tempering  with evidence that may be used against them.”

All seven  respondents are  preventively suspended without  pay for  90 days  effective upon receipt  of said order.

It was learned that no one of the seven charged officers  were  present on the day the  order was served on Sept. 26  here at the  district  engineering office. 

Sources  revealed that said order was received by the officer-in-charge assigned on Sept. 26.

The order also cited the Fanias flood control project was constructed at Barangay Samoki instead of Barangay Poblacion contrary to said SARO.

Also, the order noted no flood control project was  constructed in Talubin in the  project Aggoyo river flood control Bontoc section and Samoki, Talubin  Bontoc. 

Reportedly, payment of  the P102 million worth of projects  was already  given to contractors  awarded with the said projects  leaving 10% retention at the DPWH treasury.

An earlier instruction from Singson April this year ordered the MPDEO to stop all payments of the  flood control project in Gonogon, Talubin, Bontoc following complaint of Sagandoy. 

Project funds  were sourced from the calamity  budget under the office of  President Benigno Aquino, following  lobby by proponent-owners  of properties located near the banks of  the Chico River.

Some quarters here are questioning why MPDEO  officers blatantly change locations, leave out already indicated areas and disregard project beneficiary-proponents,  ignoring the very rules of the office where the engineers work in.

What gives the officers the gall to act  with  wanton disregard President  Aquino’s “matuwid na daan” program are questions hanging in this capital town.