DPWH discards employee uniforms—just to feel safe
They better not stand out in the crowd these days.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has temporarily suspended its uniform policy, citing harassment directed at the agency’s employees following public outrage over anomalous flood control projects.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed this on Thursday, even as he urged the public to remain calm and pinned his hope on “most” of the agency’s good eggs. “Let’s not quickly judge [the DPWH employees]. Most of them are good and honest,” Dizon said.
At the same time, he said he understood the Filipinos’ anger and pointed out that it was President Marcos himself who led the initiative to look into the depths of corruption in infrastructure projects.
“First of all, the people have every right to be angry,” he said. “The President himself is so angry, he was almost brought to tears during an interview a few days ago.”
Witness protection
DPWH employees who have been implicated in the anomalies include former Bulacan first district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez, who had filed a writ of amparo at the Pasay Regional Trial Court on Thursday amid “serious active threats” against him.
A writ of amparo is a protective order issued to those whose right to life, liberty and security is threatened.
Hernandez, who has linked Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada to the anomalous flood projects under investigation, also asked the court that he be placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).Contractor couple Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya have also requested Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to be placed under the WPP. But this has been turned down by the Department of Justice.
First of many
Dizon has expressed frustration over the controversies surrounding the DPWH, which he has been leading for less than two weeks. “Who wouldn’t get mad? Can you not see what these animals are doing to the people’s money?” Dizon told reporters at the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday.
The DPWH chief went to the Ombudsman to file the first of what he described as many criminal complaints against the agency’s erring officials and employees, as well as contractors involved in the alleged anomalies over faulty infrastructure projects, particularly those related to flood control.
These revelations have outraged ordinary Filipinos who expressed their anger mostly on social media, with some taking inspiration from a series of protests that erupted in other countries, such as Indonesia and Nepal. —WITH REPORTS FROM KEITH CLORES AND TINA G. SANTOS
