DPWH-Cebu execs, 20 others face complaints over anomalous flood control projects

MANILA, Philippines — Complaints have been filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against 20 people including officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Cebu. The complaints cited anomalies in two flood-control projects under the jurisdiction of the DPWH-Cebu third district engineering office, particularly in Barangay Singsing in Balamban town, according to DOJ spokesman Polo Martinez. The charges include technical malversation, malversation of public funds, perjury, falsification by private individuals and use of falsified documents, and falsification of documents by public officers as provided under the Revised Penal Code. The complaints also include violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Act. Martinez said the respondents would be given an opportunity to submit counter-affidavits and controvert evidence against them before the DOJ resolves the complaints. He said the DOJ could not comment on the participation of each respondent or how they supposedly connived as these would be part of the merits of the cases. Martinez said there had been no pending flood-control cases filed before the DOJ against the DPWH-Cebu officials as the cases were referred either to regional trial courts or the Office of the Ombudsman. The DOJ has completed the handling of three sets of cases involving SYMS Construction Trading, Wawao Builders and Topnotch Catalyst Builders as well as the plunder cases related to anomalous flood-control projects in Bulacan, Martinez said.