Dizon scraps DPWH antigraft probe body formed by Bonoan
Newly appointed Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has abolished the antigraft committee created by his predecessor, Manuel Bonoan, saying it was imprudent for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate its own officials and employees who are allegedly involved in corrupt practices.
Dizon deferred to the independent commission to be formed by President Marcos to probe the DPWH and its officials and personnel.
“With all due respect to the officials who formed the task force, I do not believe that the organization should investigate itself. It does not seem right,” Dizon told reporters at the sidelines of the reopening of the HD Hyundai Shipyard in Subic, Zambales, on Tuesday. He was with President Marcos, who was guest at the event.
According to Dizon, he understood that when the DPWH’s Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Committee was created by Bonoan, Mr. Marcos had not yet approved the creation of an independent body to investigate the anomalies surrounding the flood control projects implemented by the agency.
“But now that there is one, it will be better to respect the wisdom of the President. So I will have to dissolve it today,” he added.
Turnover
Bonoan formally turned over the leadership of the DPWH to Dizon in a ceremony at the agency’s central office in Port Area, Manila, on Tuesday.
Dizon affirmed his decision to abolish the internal committee to give way to the investigation of the soon-to-be established independent commission.
“Pardon me, Secretary Manny, but let us allow the independent commission to do its job,” Dizon told Bonoan, who is seated next to him, during a press conference after the turnover ceremony.
“I personally do not believe that an organization should be investigating itself. That is at the very least, very awkward. And to me, there is inherent conflict in that,” he said.
Bonoan, in response, welcomed his successor’s decision.
“I only created the antigraft and corruption committee so that there will be a body that will receive all the complaints of the public against DPWH employees,” he said.
Bonoan noted that they would need the public’s help in investigating their about 50,000 personnel across the country, 20,000 of whom are plantilla employees.
Dizon said he would focus first on his “top-to-bottom” cleansing of the DPWH.
On Monday, he ordered all officials of the agency, from the top ranks in the central office down to the district level, to submit their courtesy resignations. This covers all undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, division heads, regional directors, and district engineers across the country.
He would also conduct a review of all agency personnel “to weed out and replace the bad eggs.”
Dizon gave himself one to two months to carry out his revamp.
“Hopefully after 30 to 60 days, we will have an organization that we feel will be ready to take on these challenges and move forward,” he said.
‘Ghost’ projects
Upon his exit, Bonoan would also turn over to Dizon a dossier of the 15 flood control projects, which he found to be “nonexistent,” but still subject to validation to be confirmed that these are indeed “ghost” projects.
According to Bonoan, “most” of the 15 projects were under the Bulacan engineering office’s first district’s jurisdiction, with the rest “scattered” in other regions.
Even before he left office, Bonoan on Aug. 22 relieved 10 officials of the Bulacan first district engineering office, including its newly appointed district engineer, Brice Hernandez.
The Commission on Audit has since deployed its teams to immediately inspect all flood control projects in Bulacan as part of an ongoing fraud audit covering more than three years of public works spending in the province.
Bonoan on Aug. 28 issued Department Order No. 166, which formed the DPWH’s Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Committee tasked to investigate graft and corrupt practices allegedly perpetrated by officials and employees of the department.
The order gives the seven-member committee the power to issue subpoenas to give testimony or to provide documents; create internal rules and procedures in line with Civil Service Commission rules; and form a technical working group for its functions.
It was also given the authority to inspect project sites, obtain records from any office of the DPWH and coordinate with other government agencies to obtain information for the prosecution of its cases.
Independent body
President Marcos has yet to issue an executive order forming the independent commission, but he said on Tuesday that it would be created “very very soon.”
Its findings would then be used to make recommendations before the Department of Justice or the Office of the Ombudsman on the government officials or private individuals who should be charged.
He also did not identify people who may be part of the commission, but he would need to tap members with different professional and technical backgrounds.
Malacañang earlier said it would conduct a thorough screening on the prospective members of this third-party body.
Some names, however, were being floated to constitute this commission, including Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, and former Philippine National Police chief Nicolas Torre III.
‘Certainty of punishment’
Sen. Panfilo Lacson is hoping that an independent commission being formed by Malacañang will hold those involved in corrupt practices accountable.
“Many will be watching the result of the independent investigation of the commission. The projected composition is to the hilt, and is potentially extensive and comprehensive enough to pinpoint accountability,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
“But as someone who came from law enforcement, delivering the certainty of punishment is key. If we don’t see anyone being punished, there will be those who will be emboldened to engage in corruption,” Lacson added.
Still, he said it was a “good move” on the part of the President to create an independent body to investigate, adding he is willing to extend all assistance to it.
“In my capacity and with all the information we have so far gathered, I will extend whatever assistance I can offer, if requested, especially so that the DPWH has a dynamic, progressive-minded and reform-oriented head in the person of [Secretary] Vince Dizon,” Lacson said. —WITH A REPORT FROM TINA G. SANTOS
