DPWH exec in bribe try on lawmaker suspended
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered the immediate suspension of Batangas first district engineer Abelardo Calalo, who is accused of attempting to bribe a lawmaker to block a probe into flood control projects in his area.
In a telephone interview with the Inquirer on Monday, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan confirmed that Calalo tried to bribe Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste (first district) with “a little more than P3 million” to stop the latter’s investigation of alleged irregularities in infrastructure projects under his supervision.
Bonoan said the suspension order, which the DPWH will issue today, takes effect upon Calalo’s receipt and will remain in effect while the investigation is ongoing.
Disappointed with this development, Bonoan warned all district engineers to think twice before engaging in such misconduct.
“For those who continue doing this, think twice. I will not hesitate—I will remove all of you if I hear of this happening again,” he said in Filipino.
There are still some district engineers being investigated in connection with alleged irregularities in their jurisdictions, “but I think it’s a little premature for me to divulge all of the documents,” according to Bonoan.
A statement from the DPWH said the allegations against Calalo were deeply concerning and were being taken very seriously.
“As public servants, we at the DPWH do not condone any form of misconduct. We fully support the ongoing investigation by the proper authorities and stand firm in our commitment to transparency and integrity in public service,” it said.
“The individual involved will be relieved of his assignment, and preventive suspension will be implemented. We firmly believe that those found to have engaged in any wrongdoing must face the full consequences of their actions in accordance with the law,” it pointed out.
Only last Friday, Bonoan said all 10 officials from the First District Engineering Office in Bulacan had been relieved from their posts pending an investigation into alleged “ghost projects” in the province.
Entrapment operation
Meanwhile, Leviste said he would file a criminal complaint against Calalo at the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor’s Office today.
“We should not tolerate any corruption in the DPWH. We should demand projects at better quality and lower cost and obligate contractors to correct any deficiencies immediately without additional cost to the government. Beyond this case, we will push for broader reforms to address systemic problems of DPWH,” Leviste said in a statement on Monday.
The Inquirer reached out to Leviste’s office on Monday for other details of the bribe try but was informed by his staff that he would grant media interviews after filing a case against Calalo.
The Taal municipal police reported that at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 22, Leviste informed authorities that Calalo had offered him a bribe to dissuade him from pursuing his investigation.
About 20 minutes later, at 4:50 p.m., policemen led by Capt. Rommel Magno, Taal police chief, conducted an entrapment operation at Leviste’s office in Barangay Poblacion Zone 12, which led to the district engineer’s arrest.
Recovered from Calalo was a light green bag containing P3,126,900 in what police described as bribe money.
Calalo is now in police custody and faces complaints for violating Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code (corruption of public officials) and Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Leviste’s action earned praise from Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
“My snappy salute to [Leviste] for the successful police entrapment operation against a corrupt DPWH District Engineer who tried to bribe him with up to P360M in ‘kickbacks’ from infra projects in his district. May his tribe increase,” Lacson wrote in X on Sunday night.
Questionable transactions
In a related development, the chief of the Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineering Office (LPM DEO) has been removed from his post over his alleged involvement in questionable transactions, including the transfer of flood control funds.
“Embattled district engineer Isabelo Baleros was reassigned to the DPWH Metro Manila 3rd District Engineering Office under the NCR Region and was substituted by Engineer Ruel Umali, as per a memorandum issued on Monday by DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan,” read the statement of Las Piñas lone district Rep. Mark Anthony Santos.
According to Santos, Baleros was reassigned by Bonoan to the DPWH Metro Manila Third District Engineering Office after engineer Ruel Umali replaced him as LPM DEO chief.
Santos alleged that Baleros requested the transfer of funds for several Las Piñas projects from his district office to the DPWH’s regional office in Metro Manila without consulting the Office of the Mayor, the congressional representative, the City Engineering Office, or the city council.
“At the center of the controversy is the P140-million C5 Diversion Road project in Barangay Manuyo Dos—the single largest allocation from the P450.5-million infrastructure budget for Las Piñas this year,” the statement from Santos’ office read.
Citing documents, the lawmaker said Baleros wrote to DPWH NCR Assistant Regional Director Montrexis Tamayo on June 9, requesting the transfer of the C5 Diversion Road project’s implementation to the regional office.
Santos added that the request was “quietly approved” by DPWH Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Loreta Malaluan and confirmed by Bonoan on July 15.
The lawmaker said he had already asked Baleros for a written explanation of the transfer request but had yet to receive a response.
Baleros was appointed officer in charge in October 2021 and formally installed as district engineer in December 2022. —WITH REPORTS FROM FAITH ARGOSINO AND DELFIN T. MALLARI JR.
