PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday ordered the perpetual disqualification from office of three department officials, all formerly assigned at the Bulacan First Engineering Office, for their alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects.
In a decision dated Sept. 15, Dizon dismissed from service former assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza, and accountant Juanito Mendoza after they were found guilty of administrative charges.
The charges are for disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines and to the Filipino people, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The order disqualifies them from ever holding public office, forfeits their retirement benefits, and cancels their civil service eligibility.
“This decision is without prejudice to the filing of appropriate or criminal actions before the proper authorities,” it added.
The three, along with 17 other officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and four contractors, were also charged last week by Dizon before the Office of the Ombudsman for malversation through falsification of public documents, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the New Government Procurement Act.
The other 17 DPWH officials were dismissed Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO) engineer Henry Alcantara; John Michael E. Ramos, construction section chief of DPWH, Bulacan 1st DEO; Ernesto C. Galang, chief, planning and design section, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Lorenzo A. Pagtalunan, OIC-chief, maintenance section, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Norberto L. Santos, chief, quality assurance section, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Jaime R. Hernandez, OIC-chief, maintenance section, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Floralyn Y. Simbulan, chief, administrative section, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Roberto A. Roque, head of budget unit, DPWH-Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office; Benedict J. Matawaran, head, procurement unit, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Christina Mae D. Pineda, cashier, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Paul Tayson F. Duya, project engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Merg Jaron C. Laus, project engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Lemuel Ephraim C. Roque, project engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; Ariay S. Domasig, project engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; John Carlo C. Rivera, project engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; John Benex S. Francisco, project engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO; and Jolo Mari V. Tayao, engineer, DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO.
The contractors were Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya of St. Timothy Construction Corp., Mark Allan V. Arevallo, owner of Wawao Builders, Sally Santos of Syms Construction Trading, and Robert T. Imperio, owner of IM Construction Corp.
Dizon said that more heads will roll in the coming days and weeks as the internal cleansing process continues to rid the DPWH of corrupt officials.
He said that corresponding criminal charges will also be filed this week against DPWH officials and contractors linked to the uncovered ghost and substandard flood control projects in the province of Oriental Mindoro.
Dizon said he has received almost 100 similar complaints, and that investigation of anomalous projects revealed a “pattern of railroaded” bid awards notices to proceed, and quick payments for projects.
“We see a pattern here, almost identical. The bidding, notice to proceed, and payment happened on consecutive days,” Dizon said, adding that he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the same pattern was found in other areas.
Senate custody
Meanwhile, Hernandez was brought back to the Senate detention facility on Sept. 15, following weeks of transfers that triggered tensions between the Senate and other government bodies.
The Office of the Senate President confirmed Hernandez’s arrival at 10:10 a.m. and said he underwent a medical examination before being placed under custody.
His legal counsel, Ernest Levanza, earlier submitted a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III requesting Hernandez’s re-admission from the Pasay City Jail back to the Senate facility.
“To allow Brice Hernandez to remain with the Senate is to affirm that the institution does not turn away from difficult truths, nor cast aside those who risk their safety to speak them,” Levanza wrote, urging the chamber “to exercise its authority with compassion, to temper firmness with justice, and to uphold the dignity of a witness even while in contempt.”
Hernandez was cited in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, then chaired by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, on Sept. 8 and initially detained at the Senate facility.
He was later moved to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center after a House committee hearing where he implicated Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva in alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
