More heads will roll in DPWH despite Dizon, Lopez swap

Outgoing Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon handed over a list of alleged corrupt DPWH officials to incoming chief Giovanni Lopez on Tuesday, urging his successor to purge the agency of "rotten apples."

The turnover came after the announcement of the latest Cabinet reshuffle, which saw Dizon and Lopez swapping positions.

During a ceremony held at the DPWH headquarters office in Manila, Dizon, instead of flag, handed over brown envelopes marked as “secret” to Lopez.

“Imbes na flag, ito ang ipapasa ko sa kanya. Sec B [Lopez], ikaw na ang bahala sa mga ‘yan (Instead of flag, this is what I am turning over to him. Secretary Lopez, it’s up to you what you’ll do to it),” Dizon said.

“Tanggalin mo lahat ng mga ‘yan in the next few weeks, reviewhin mo na lang (Remove all of them in the next few weeks, just review it…) We have to get rid of the rotten apples and protect the good ones,” he added.

The outgoing DPWH chief and incoming DOTr chief said that over 80 employees of the agency “have already been removed” since he took over the helm of the Public Works Department mid-last year during the height of the flood control corruption controversy.

“Dadami ito in the next couple of weeks (More will be removed in the next couple of weeks),” Dizon said.

For his part, Lopez said he will continue the reforms started by his predecessor.

“My task is how to make these reforms work consistently in the DPWH and how to make it last, how to make it permanent regardless who sits in Malacañang, regardless who sits as Secretary po of DPWH,” the incoming Public Works chief said.

“At kasama na rin po 'yan na ipagpapatuloy natin lahat ng mga nasimulan ni Secretary Vince dito sa DPWH—'yong mga reforma pagdating sa transparency, sa accountability, sa pagfo-promote po ng mga empleyado po ng DPWH,” Lopez said.

(And that includes continuing all the initiatives started by Secretary Vince here at the DPWH—the reforms regarding transparency, accountability, and the promotion of DPWH employees.)

Dizon said Lopez will not go easy on erring DPWH personnel.

“Kung iniisip nila na si (If they think that) Sec. Banoy is going to be easier or more lenient than me, I think everyone is in for a big, big surprise, because I think the opposite is true,” the outgoing DPWH chief said, referring to Lopez.

Dizon also urged his successor to “pay very, very close attention to Bulacan,” citing the province’s perennial flooding despite billions of pesos poured into flood control projects.

The province was also at the epicenter of the flood control corruption scandal probe. —AOL, GMA News