DPWH relieves 4 more officials over alleged Davao City ‘floodgate’
POLICE in riot gear barricade a portion of Mendiola in Manila as farmers from various provinces converge at the area to protest against Pax Silica and other issues they claimed threaten agricultural communities.
PHOTOGRAPH BY YUMMIE DINGDING / DAILY TRIBUNE
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon relieved four more officials and engineers on Wednesday over their alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects in Davao City.
Dizon issued four separate memoranda ordering the relief of DPWH Region V officer-in-charge assistant regional director Ferdinand Dallo alongside three officials from the Davao City 1st District Engineering Office.
Those relieved from the Davao City 1st District Engineering Office include officer-in-charge district Engineer Emilio Sucaldito Jr., Quality Assurance Section Chief Kim Anthony Duque and Financial Management Section chief Kristine Apao.
In his directive, Dizon instructed Dallo, Sucaldito, Duque and Apao to formally turn over all official records, documents, and properties in their custody to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of public services.
Dizon also issued an additional memorandum ordering the reassignment of Engineer II Aljun Barcoma and Engineer II Alexander Omadley, both formerly with the Davao City 1st District Engineering Office.
Barcoma and Omadley were directed to report to DPWH Region XI regional director Juby Cordon for new duties.
Dizon explained that the personnel moves follow criminal complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) charging the individuals with falsification of public documents under the Revised Penal Code and violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The actions follow Dizon’s relief on Monday of DPWH Region IV-B assistant regional director Richard Ragasa, who previously served as district engineer in Davao City, as well as Davao City 1st District assistant district engineer Lilibeth Sarmiento and Construction Section chief Roberto Mamaril.
The NBI filed the criminal charges before the Department of Justice (DoJ) last week following an investigation into suspected irregularities in Davao City flood control initiatives.
In addition to the public works officials and engineers, the NBI named several private contractors as respondents in the DoJ complaint.
Among the respondents are Genesis88 Construction Inc. owner Glenn Escandor and company personnel including authorized managing officer Saturnino Bentulan, project engineer Benjamin Zosa, materials engineer Faye Ramirez, and construction foremen George Servano and Roy Bohol.
The NBI also cited Agong Builders and Construction Supply Inc. owners Merlita Amplayo and Raymarc Kim Amplayo, along with project engineer Christian Rey Balingit.