DPWH chief Bonoan on calls for leave: Up to the President

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Wednesday said he will leave the decision to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if he needs to take a leave amid the probe into the alleged corruption in flood control projects.

“I leave it to the kwan of the President po,” Bonoan told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita in an interview.

“I think ang delicadeza naman po dito is actually hindi lang naman po flood control project ang aking sinusulong dito sa DPWH. Napakarami po yung other big projects that would warrant my kwan po ngayon dito. As I said, I leave it to the President po kung anong desisyon po nila,” he added.

(I think the delicadeza here is that actually the flood control project is not the only one I am pushing for here at the DPWH. There are so many other big projects that would warrant my attention here. As I said, I leave it to the President.)

According to Bonoan, officials of district engineering offices involved in alleged corruption in flood control projects have been removed from their positions.

“Actually dito po sa nagkaroon ng ganitong information, tinanggal ko lahat muna ang mga opisyales dyan sa district engineering office na ‘yan. Under the custody na po muna ng regional office, at regional office na po nagpapatakbo sa district office na ‘yan,” he said.

(Actually, when this information came to light, I removed all the officials from that district engineering office.It is now under the custody of the regional office, and the regional office is now operating that district office.)

In the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Tuesday, Bonoan said the DPWH is looking into alleged “ghost” flood control projects in Bulacan. 

Bonoan said DPWH personnel and contractors were possibly colluding in these supposed ghost projects. 

The DPWH chief said they will file cases against those responsible for the alleged corruption in flood control projects.

“As soon as we are able to fully document actually everything at saka yung nakumpleto na po yung imbestigasyon, then I think kapag napatunayan po na ganito, then we will file all the corresponding cases kahit na sino ang involve po dyan,” Bonoan said.

(As soon as we are able to fully document everything and when the investigation is completed, then I think when this is proven, then we will file all the corresponding cases no matter who is involved in it.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News