NBI sees bid-rigging in some DPWH flood control projects

National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago said Wednesday the bidding process for some of the flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways had been rigged.

In a briefing, Santiago said around seven or eight of the 15 contractors that received the majority of the total budget for flood control projects share the same officers, .

He, however, declined to name the contractors.

“A, B, C, D, E contractors have the same sets of officers. So talagang nakakakita kami ng rigging ng bidding process. ‘Yung A, B, C, D, E, F, G na ‘yan, nakipag bid sila. Kahit na sino manalo doon sa kanila pa rin, sila pa rin,” Santiago said.

(A, B, C, D, E contractors have the same sets of officers. So we really see rigging in the bidding process. Those A, B, C, D, E, F, G who joined the bidding. No matter who wins, it still goes to them.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously disclosed that 20% of the total P545 billion budget was awarded to only 15 contractors.

Among the top 15 were Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp. and the St. Timothy Construction Corporation, both of which contractor Sarah Discaya has admitted to owning.

She also admitted owning nine construction firms that bid for projects with the DPWH, and that there were times when the said companies bid against each other for the same projects.

“‘Yung mga binisita ng ating Pangulo ay nag-issue na ako ng directive… na umpisahan na ng regional offices ang investigation doon sa mga binisita ni Pangulong Marcos. Katulad ng sa Bulacan,” he said.

(The places visited by our President—I already issued a directive… for the regional offices to begin the investigation in those places visited by President Marcos. Like in Bulacan.)

He said the NBI has collated the information which will be submitted to the Department of Justice.

Meanwhile, Santiago said the Justice Department has also created a Public Works Corruption and Bid Rigging Task Force.

“Ito po mga prosecutors, mga pili ni [Secretary of Justice] na of proven integrity. Ako naman po nag-submit na rin ng pangalan, ‘yung mga kilala ko na talagang matitino na ating kasamahan… sila ang mag-compose ng NBI task force,” he said.

(These prosecutors are chosen by the SOJ, people of proven integrity. I also submitted some names, those colleagues I know are ethical… they will compose the NBI task force.)

“So mag-joint forces po kami… magtutulungan po kaming maigi para ma-prosecute nating involved sa corruption na ito,” he added.

(So we will join forces… we will work together closely to prosecute those involved in this corruption.) 

For their part, Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said the task force will focus on the 15 contractors named by Marcos.

He said the task force will also be involved in the forensic accounting of the properties.

“Ang gagawin po natin, kagaya ng unang ginawa, eh magkakaroon po tayo ng seizure, freeze order sa mga properties. So meron din po tayong mga eksperto na sinabi sa NBI para mag tulong-tulong,” he said.

(What we will do, just like what was first did, we will have a seizure, a freeze order on the properties. So we also have experts assigned to the NBI to help out.)

According to Andres, the Task Force will coordinate with the  Independent Commission Infrastructure (ICI). —AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News