DPWH placed bid-rigging employees under preventive suspension

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MANILA – Several employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways were placed under preventive suspension for their alleged involvement in the rigging of DPWH biddings for infrastructure projects worth millions of pesos.

The employees, including some members of the bids and awards committee (BAC) of the department were accused of allegedly colluding with the contractors during the bidding process, according to an unnamed DPWH official, as reported in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.

The official also revealed that a special panel called the Complaints, Validation and Investigation Committee (CVIC) headed by Jaime Pacanan, DPWH undersecretary for support services, to investigate the irregularities in the bidding process.

Several anomalous reports reached the department following President Aquino’s recognition of the department’s effort to streamline the bidding process for infrastructure projects.

DPWH was also cited for saving nearly P28 billion in the past four years through its transparent and competitive bidding process.

Singson, however said in a statement last week that the rigging of the biddings and the collusion between employees and contractors are far from over adding that some contractors are given favorable treatment with the current bidding process conducted by the agency.

“There are also patterns wherein the same contractors [joined] in the bidding process where winning bidders were rotated among them,” Singson said, as quoted in an Inquirer report.

Given this, Singson added that he will not be hesitating to fire any employee if the allegations are proven.