Three officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assigned to the Region III office were removed from their posts over alleged irregular flood control projects.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon signed the order removing from office former Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez, former Construction Section Chief Jaypee Mendoza, and accountant Juanito Mendoza.
They were also perpetually disqualified from holding government posts, with their civil service eligibility canceled and retirement benefits forfeited, except for accrued leave credits, according to a report by GMA News Online.
The three face criminal charges of graft, malversation through falsification of documents, and violation of the Government Procurement Act.
They have yet to issue a statement, as of press time.
CONTROVERSY
The dismissal of the DPWH-3 officials is part of a broader crackdown on irregular flood control projects across the country.
In a separate report on GMA News Online, DPWH said it is preparing criminal cases against personnel and contractors allegedly involved in anomalous projects in Oriental Mindoro.
The contractors flagged include St. Timothy Construction Corporation, Sunwest Inc., and Elite General Contractor and Development Corporation. Some projects listed in the budget were found to be either non-existent or substandard on the ground.
The department is also moving to blacklist these contractors, freeze assets, and recover public funds.
PROBE INTO CASINO LINKS
Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has tapped the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to look into possible casino activities of DPWH officials implicated in the anomalies.
The probe includes requests for CCTV footage of government personnel entering casinos, as part of efforts to track possible money laundering schemes, according to GMA News Online.
COMMISSION
To institutionalize reforms, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. issued Executive Order No. 94 creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate irregular flood control projects and other infrastructure anomalies over the past decade.
The commission is mandated to receive complaints, assess evidence, and recommend cases for prosecution to the Department of Justice, Ombudsman, and Civil Service Commission.
