West Visayas DPWH execs face graft raps over projects’ award
ILOILO CITY—An anticrime and corruption watchdog has filed a graft complaint against officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Western Visayas (DPWH-6) and a private contractor over alleged irregularities in the awarding of infrastructure contracts, including the two flyovers in Iloilo that were found defective.
The Crime and Corruption Watch International (CCWI), on May 21, asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the DPWH-6 and the International Builders Co. (IBC) for violating Republic Act No. 12009 (New Government Procurement Act), RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) and RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).
Named respondents in the case were DPWH-6 director Sanny Boy Oropel; district engineers Robert Palmera, Randolfo Melosantos, Allan Rey Pajimna, Roy Pacanan, and Bernadette Betsy Uy; bids and awards committee chair Mary Grace Bulaquina-Hachuela, vice-chair Marilou Zamora and members Ormel Santos, Gladwyn Ledesma, Roland Rainier Victorino and Ricardo Gutierrez; and IBC president Helen Edith Lee Tan.
IBC was the contractor of the Ungka and Aganan Flyovers in Iloilo—two projects widely criticized as substandard and for delays in the implementation.
The CCWI, represented by its chair, Carlo Batalla, also filed a case at the Ombudsman in 2023 against then-DPWH-6 director Nerie Bueno and the IBC over structural defects of the Ungka Flyover, which sits between Iloilo City and Pavia town in Iloilo.
Motive questioned
Oropel, when sought for comment, said he was caught off guard by the filing of a complaint against him and other DPWH-6 officials, questioning the motive behind the move intended to discredit their office.
“We haven’t received any official communication yet. The first thing they did was to release it to the media. It’s clear that their intention is to embarrass DPWH-6. That alone tells you something,” he said in a phone interview on May 21.
He said they would address the allegations in their affidavit, adding, “Eventually, people will know their real purpose—whether it’s just to harass us or to pressure us into something.”
In a press conference, CCWI Deputy Executive Director Millicent Ang Espina noted that DPWH-6 awarded 15 projects to IBC in February 2024, totaling P1,907,312,070.75.
She also cited a total of 28 projects awarded by DPWH-6 to the IBC within the first quarter of 2024 alone, with a total amount of P3,230,104,880.44.
Work slippage
The case also included projects awarded to the IBC which have not been completed as of December 2024.
“DPWH records show that respondent IBC failed to complete its projects in accordance with the designated duration for each project. In fact, the slippage of these projects exceeds the agreed upon period of 30 days from the original schedule,” Espina said.
According to Batalla, IBC was awarded the projects in 2024 despite past violations and controversial project records, noting that of the P9.25 billion in government infrastructure contracts awarded by DPWH-6 for the year, nearly P2.4 billion went to IBC.
But Oropel questioned the credibility of the accusations, stressing that DPWH-6 has consistently performed well in delivering infrastructure projects in Western Visayas composed of Iloilo, Guimaras, Aklan, Antique and Capiz.
“The only reason they filed this, I believe, is to threaten us because we’ve been doing our job properly,” Oropel said.
Oropel said he would fully cooperate with the Ombudsman’s investigation, adding, “We have all the documents and evidence needed to answer and refute their claims.”
