Kalinga watchdog files graft, neglect raps vs DPWH district engineer

TABUK, Kalinga — An anti-corruption advocacy group has filed administrative and criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against the district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Kalinga District Engineering Office over alleged road safety failures along key national highways in the province.

Save Kalinga Inc., represented by Citizen Monitors, filed its complaint-affidavit on 3 June 2026, accusing the official of gross neglect of duty, inefficiency, grave misconduct, violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and reckless imprudence under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code.

The complaint alleges systemic infrastructure deficiencies along the Tabuk-Enrile Road and the Mountain Province-Kalinga Road, both of which traverse rugged terrain prone to landslides, road slips and steep drop-offs. According to the group, the district engineering office relied on temporary safety measures such as stacked sandbags, unanchored plastic barriers, discarded tires and loose river boulders instead of installing permanent crash-tested containment structures.

Complainants argued that the makeshift barriers pose additional risks to motorists because they fail to absorb impact or redirect vehicles safely. The affidavit alleged that despite public concerns, authorities repeatedly replaced deteriorating sandbags with similar materials rather than undertaking permanent engineering interventions.

The complaint was accompanied by photographic and geotagged evidence identifying several alleged danger zones, including sections in Bado Dangwa and Bagumbayan in Tabuk City and Liwan West in Rizal town. Save Kalinga claimed these areas lacked adequate protective barriers and safety markers despite their hazardous conditions.

The group further argued that replacing standard steel W-beam guardrails or concrete barriers with sandbags constitutes gross neglect and professional malpractice. It also alleged that maintenance funds intended for certified road safety devices were not properly utilized, potentially violating anti-graft laws.

The complainants are seeking a formal preliminary investigation and the preventive suspension of the district engineer to prevent the possible alteration of records and procurement documents while the case is under review.

The complaint was prepared with the assistance of legal counsel from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Kalinga Chapter.