CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/26 September)- Almost 30 top engineers of the embattled Department of Public Works—their entire top echelon in their Northern Mindanao regional office- have tendered their courtesy resignations in the wake of the public outrage against corruption involving flood control projects.
DPWH 10 information officer Novie Cabrido said the officials led by Region 10 director Lilibeth Aparicio and the chiefs of their district engineering offices have tendered their “unqualified courtesy resignations“ to public works secretary Vince Dizon.
But Cabrido said the officials continue to report for work until Dizon decides on the matter.
“Until may action si Secretary Dizon, these officials will continue to report for office and continue their usual work,” Cabrido said.
Hundreds of students, school officials and clergy from the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro staged protest rallies and expressed their outrage on the alleged corruption at the DPWH.
At the height of the protest rallies last September 21, the DPWH put up steel barriers strung with rolls of barbed wire in front of its regional office in Barangay Bulua here.
Cabrido said they adopted the security measure upon advise from the Philippine National Police which informed them that protesters might march toward the regional office.
The alleged threat did not happen and the rallies in Cagayan de Oro ended peacefully.
Union of the People’s Lawyers in Mindanao secretary general Beverly Musni, one of the protest leaders, welcomed the courtesy resignations but said these government officials should publicize their Statement of Accounts and Liabilities (SALN) and subject themselves to lifestyle checks.
Musni urged the National Bureau of Investigation to get hold of the contracts, payroll, and other documents on suspected anomalous projects.
“The government should even freeze the assets of these officials,” Musni said.
Meanwhile, Cabrido belied claims by an anti-corruption group regarding a supposed ghost flood control project at Barangay Linabo, Malaybalay City.
The non-governmental organization, which calls itself as the Presidential Anti-Corruption Czar, supposedly raised questions after an inspection last September 18 on a P96.4 million flood mitigation project in Barangay Linabo.
The group is alleging that the project, which they claim was marked by the DPWH Bukidnon 2nd District as already completed by the contractor, Ritchie Nathalie Development Corporation, is either a ghost project or substandard.
But Cabrido said the project, which included a flood mitigation structure, two box culverts and installation of railings and stairs, was completed on March 5, 2024.
Cabrido said DPWH 10 have no ghost projects although several projects have been suffering delays due to road right of way problems and bad weather. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)
