DPWH to check if Brice's ex-wife worked at office that caught fire

An official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Friday that they will verify whether the ex-wife of former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez previously worked at the agency's Bureau of Research Standards (BRS) building in Quezon City.

The building caught fire last month.

DPWH Undersecretary Arthur Bisnar confirmed that he heard of the information as he testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the anomalous flood control projects. 

“Titignan po namin, Your Honor. Narinig po namin ‘yung information na ‘yung former wife po ni Engr. Hernandez ay doon po naka-assign bago po siya nag-submit ng resignation,” Bisnar said. 

(We will check on that, Your Honor. We heard the information that the former wife of Engr. Hernandez was assigned there before she submitted her resignation.)

"Pero wala pa pong confirmation kung meron ba siyang hawak na mga documents pertaining po sa mga flood control and other infra projects,” he added.

(But there is no confirmation yet if she has any documents related to flood control and other infrastructure projects.)

It was Senator Erwin Tulfo who revealed during the hearing that he had an informant who told him that Hernandez’ ex-wife, Engineer Mel Clarice Santo Domingo, supposedly worked in the affected building.

“Meron pong akong balita na natatanggap na merong ika nga move na ‘yung mga dokumento incriminating ranking officials, politiko, eh ika nga mina-magic o nawawala sa mga sunog. Tama po ba? Ano na ho nangyayari sa imbestigasyon na ito?” Tulfo asked.

(I have received news that there are alleged moves to destroy documents incriminating ranking officials and politicians by starting fires. Is this correct? What is happening in this investigation?

The fire incident in DPWH Quezon City on October 22 reached third alarm and was put out later in the afternoon. 

The DPWH had said no documents related to the ongoing investigation into flood control anomalies were in the affected building.

According to the agency, the BRS is responsible for the conduct of research, studies, pilot testing, and formulation of policies for government infrastructure projects. 

Hernandez is among the key figures in the flood control investigation. He previously admitted that all projects of the DPWH in the first district of Bulacan province, which include flood control projects, are substandard. He also implicated some senators and congressmen in the controversy. 

Bisnar maintained that there were no project documents or bidding documents affected in the DPWH office fire. –NB, GMA Integrated News