TABUK, Kalinga — An anti-corruption advocacy group filed a criminal and administrative complaint Wednesday before the Office of the Ombudsman against the top Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official in Kalinga province, alleging gross neglect and graft over the use of sandbags and discarded tires as highway safety barriers.

The group Save Kalinga Inc., represented by its citizen monitors, leveled charges of gross neglect of duty, inefficiency, grave misconduct, reckless imprudence, and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the DPWH Kalinga District Engineer.

Legal counsel from the Kalinga chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines assisted in preparing the complaint.

According to the affidavit, the engineering office allowed systemic infrastructure anomalies along critical stretches of the Tabuk-Enrile Road and the Mountain Province-Kalinga Road.

The group cited that these national highways run through rugged terrain highly vulnerable to landslides, roadslips and steep drop-offs.