Villar urged: Probe projects transfer Kalinga DPWH head

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Highways Sec. Mark A. Villar was urged to investigate alleged poor implementation of infrastructure projects of Kalinga and transfer the OIC district engineer of the province owing to allegations of corruption within his office.  

“We would like to inform you that OIC District Engineer Teodoro Owek of the Upper Kalinga Engineering District should be transferred to a district outside the province,” said provincial administrator Henry T. Gupaal in his letter to Villar dated August 31, 2018.

The letter was furnished to President Duterte and Cordillera Dept. of Public Works and Highways regional director Nerie Bueno.

 “His (Owek) performance pales with what is expected of him; and with him as OIC district engineer, Kalinga is moving backward because the situation in Upper Kalinga is getting worst. We are writing your office on behalf of the people of Kalinga who are longing for the development and progress of the province.

“There are allegations of corruption in his office; the contractors he favors are his relatives (JTM Construction, BMJ Builders and Yunakim Construction); projects are substandard; program of works are not appropriate like the widening of Molayong-Ableg road which is waste of public funds because the project should have been widening of the road but the DPWH Upper Kalinga district programmed a rip-raping which made the road more narrower. What they rip-rapped is a solid rock and the construction/riprapping of flood control project in Poblacion, Tinglayan, that in the program of work prepared by said district, the aggregates will come from Tabuk City, 60 kilometers from the project site, but in the actual construction the contractor is getting its aggregates from the Bonog River instead.

Gupaal said the barangay captain of the area “reported this anomalous practice.” Another alleged rigged bidding awarded to BMJ Builders, reportedly a lone bidder, was construction of the Limood-Amdalao Road in Pasil amounting to P52 million funded under PAMANA funds.

“We suggest that the OIC be replaced by a regular district engineer. We know that the congressman is your party mate and you cannot afford to displease him but please look at the bigger interest of the people.”

Gupaal urged Villar to transfer Owek “because we cannot afford to move backwards.

He said Kalinga was a 5-time Seal of Good Local Governance Awardee and last week the DTI recognized the province as one of the most competitive provinces as number 19 among the top 20 provinces in the country and the only province in the Cordillera Region to get the award.

“We are requesting that you come and investigate setting aside your party relations with the congressman. We want our province to continue moving forward like the rest of the country as is the wishes of our beloved President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that he hates drugs, and he hates corruption in the government. This is the reason why we are emboldened and encouraged by the President’s pronouncements now and then. We trust that you will give due attention to our request for the good of our people,” Gupaal said.

Gupaal revealed he had been serving the province as provincial administrator for Gov. Dominador T. Belac (2004-2007), Gov. Floydelia R. Diasen (2007-2008), and now Gov. Jocel C. Baac.

But previous to this position Gupaal worked with then Executive Secretary Oscar M. Orbos at Malacanang as one of his personal staff and the late Fr. Conrado M. Balweg as member of the Cordillera panel and aide-de-camp when he was negotiating for peace and development in the Cordillera with the government.

“With these experiences we have seen how we should maximize the resources of government when it comes into the proper implementation of projects that are deemed to uplift the lives of our people,” Gupaal said.

Owek could not be contacted at press time for his side on the matter.