Duterte orders audit of DPWH projects amid gov’t-wide corruption probe

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered an audit of projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), alleging that ghost projects are the agency’s main avenue for corruption activities.

“Ang DPWH, ang pinaka raket diyan is 'yung ghost project. So walang delivery, ghost project. Marami 'yan. Karamihan 'yan it’s the regional director. Ipapalabas nila na may project ito but wala,” Duterte said in his weekly national address.

“The best way is to conduct an audit of those projects to determine if they are ghost projects or not, and I think they are plenty and I daresay ang pinakamarami sigurong matanggal would be from DPWH,” he added.

Duterte earlier ordered a Department of Justice-led task force to investigate corruption in the entire government. 

He told those investigating corruption to submit their reports within one to two days.

Duterte also called on DPWH officials involved in corrupt activities to vacate their posts immediately.

“For the longest time, wala masyadong imbestigasyon diyan, pero kayong may kasalanan diyan sa mga gano’n, I advise you to resign now,” he said. “Resign now kasi pagdating ng panahon… makita ninyo, you’ll be prosecuted administratively and criminally at walang patawaran dito.”

The Chief Executive also renewed his vow to cleanse the government of corrupt officials in the last two years of his term.

“Ang ibang kasalanan, okay lang. Pero itong mga ghost project, mga project na wala diyan… That’s shortchanging government. You will go to jail for that,” he warned.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar earlier said that no one will be spared in the agency’s internal corruption probe. 

Despite his allegations of corruption against the DPWH, Duterte has repeatedly assured the public that Villar is “honest.” —LDF, GMA News