DPWH goes after properties of personalities tagged in infra mess

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

Earlier, the DPWH chief asked for the assistance of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) in filing applications before the Court of Appeals (CA) for the issuance of freeze orders against the DPWH officials, employees, and private contractors, pursuant to Section 10 of RA 9160, otherwise known as the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), which the CA has granted. (File Photo: Department of Public Works and Highways/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has requested different government agencies for a list of properties such as cars, water vessels and aircraft registered in the names of the 26 DPWH officials and private company owners who are facing cases before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with alleged anomalous infrastructure projects in Bulacan.

In separate letters addressed to the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Registration Authority (LRA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon asked the heads of these offices for a list of properties owned by individuals implicated in the multi-billion flood control mess.

“This request was made to prevent the dissipation, removal, or disposal of properties strongly suspected to be the proceeds of, or related to, unlawful activities, as defined under Section 3(i) of RA (Republic Act) No. 9160, as amended. Such preemptive action is necessary to safeguard assets from disposal and ensure that ongoing government efforts to combat corruption and money laundering are not undermined,” he said in the letters.

Earlier, the DPWH chief asked for the assistance of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) in filing applications before the Court of Appeals (CA) for the issuance of freeze orders against the DPWH officials, employees, and private contractors, pursuant to Section 10 of RA  9160, otherwise known as the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), which the CA has granted.

The DPWH officials are the following: Henry Alcantara, former OIC – Assistant Regional Director; Brice Ericson Hernandez, former OIC – District Engineer; Jaypee Mendoza, former OIC – Assistant District Engineer; John Michael Ramos, Chief, Construction Section; Ernesto Galang, Planning and Design Section; Lorenzo Pagtalunan, OIC-Chief, Maintenance Section; Norberto L. Santos, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Section; Jaime R. Hernandez, Maintenance Section;  Floralyn Simbulan, Administrative Section; Juanito Mendoza, formerly from the Finance Section; Roberto Roque, Budget Unit; Benedict Matawaran, Procurement Unit; Christina Mae Pineda, Cashier II; Paul Jayson Duya, Project Engineer; Merg Jaron Laus, Project Engineer; Lemuel Ephraim Roque, Project Engineer; Arjay Domasig, Project Engineer; John Carlo Rivera, Project Engineer; John Benex Francisco, Project Engineer; and Jolo Mari Tayao, Project Engineer II.

The following individuals are the officers of private firms: Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, St. Timothy Construction Corporation; Cezarah Rowena Discaya, St. Timothy Construction Corporation; Pacifico Discaya II, St. Timothy Construction Corporation; Mark Allan Arevalo, General Manager, Wawao Builders; Sally Santos, Owner/Manager, SYMS Construction Trading; and Robert Imperio, Owner/Manager, IM Construction Corporation.

The Senate and the House of Representatives, along with internal investigations within the DPWH, have revealed evidence linking some DPWH officials and employees, as well as the private contractors, to alleged corruption involving ghost, incomplete, and/or substandard projects.

The department has filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against the individuals for violation of RA 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and Article 217 (Malversation) of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Article 171 on Falsification, of RA 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Meanwhile, Dizon, together with Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Chairperson, retired Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr., and ICI members namely former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson, SGV and Co. country managing director Rosanna Fajardo and ICI Special Adviser,  Baguio City Mayor and Benjamin Magalong, met with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte Thursday afternoon to discuss the local government’s discovery of alleged anomalous flood control projects in the city.

The officials also inspected the locations of the projects, including the Matalahib Creek Pump Station, and Mariblo and Sta. Cruz Pumping Stations.

Belmonte earlier reported that 66 listed flood control projects could not be found in the city.