Dizon: Evidence 'strong' vs. accused in Oriental Mindoro substandard dike

Secretary Vince Dizon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday assured the public that the government’s evidence against those behind the alleged substandard P289 million road dike project in Oriental Mindoro is "rock solid."

Dizon made the comments as he testified in the ongoing bail hearing of the former DPWH officials who are facing malversation charges in connection with the supposed ghost flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

The bail hearing stemmed from the petition for bail filed by the former DPWH officials accused in the case, namely:

• Gerald Pacanan, DPWH regional director
• Gene Ryan Altea, DPWH assistant regional director
• Ruben D.S. Santos, DPWH assistant regional director
• Montrexis Tamayo, DPWH OIC-chief, Planning and Design Division
• Dominic Serrano, DPWH construction division chief and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairperson
• Dennis Abagon, DPWH OIC-chief, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division, BAC regular member 
• Juliet Calvo, DPWH Maintenance Division Chief 
• Lerma Cayco, DPWH accountant IV and 
• Felisardo Casuno, DPWH project engineer III 

“Ang masasabi ko lang, matibay ang ebidensiya natin rito. Klarong klaro. Marami sa inyo kasama ko [nung inspection]. Kita kita na substandard,” Dizon said.

(I would just say that our evidence is rock solid. It is very clear. Many of you were with me during the inspection. We can clearly see it is substandard.)

“Ayon sa plano, 12 meters. Nakita natin three meters lang. Nakita naman natin ano iyon epekto. Isang bagyo pa lang…bubunutin mo lahat ‘yun, sisirain mo lahat iyon [para maiayos]. Wala sila talagang planong tapusin,” Dizon added, referring to the steel sheet piles used for the subject road dike project. 

(The plan states 12 meters, and we only saw three meters. We have seen its effects. With just one typhoon...we would need to overhaul everything to rectify it. They really did not intend to finish the project.)

Dizon also said he is confident that the Sandiganbayan will rule in the government prosecutors’ favor that the detained accused do not deserve to be granted bail for their temporary liberty pending the resolution of the case.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavan earlier told reporters that the measurements of the steel sheet piles showed that an exposed pile length of 2.5 meters and 0.6 meters embedded in the pile cap for a total of only about 3.0 meters, far from the 12-meter specification stated in the Detailed Engineering Design of the project, making the project substandard. —VAL, GMA Integrated News