Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno has urged Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to take a bold step: ask agency officials and employees to sign bank secrecy waivers.
For Diokno, this move could swiftly expose the “bad eggs” inside the DPWH—an agency now under fire for alleged corruption linked to flood control projects.
The call came during the deliberations for DPWH’s proposed ₱880 billion budget for 2026, just days after Dizon vowed to clean up the department within 60 days. His plan began with asking all officials to submit their courtesy resignations.
“Given my legal background, I have a few suggestions,” Diokno told Dizon. “It might be wise to request employees and officials to execute bank secrecy waivers. While it’s not standard procedure, there’s no legal impediment to doing so.”
But Diokno didn’t stop there. He also pushed for stricter evidence preservation measures. He proposed a department order securing all government-issued electronic devices—computers, phones, and gadgets used by resigned or dismissed officials.
“They have no right to privacy when using government devices,” Diokno explained. “Under the law, these can be accessed to check for incriminating communications. Such evidence can be used against them.”
He went further, suggesting that DPWH coordinate with telecommunications companies to preserve text messages, calls, and even location data from government-issued phones.
“If there are questions on who they met and when, these records can help,” Diokno added. He also cited Supreme Court rules that allow cyber warrants for corruption cases involving electronic evidence, which could strengthen future investigations.
Secretary Dizon welcomed the recommendations with gratitude, assuring lawmakers that the DPWH would act quickly.
“We are already in touch with the Commission on Audit, and we will coordinate with the PNP Cybercrime Unit to ensure evidence is preserved,” Dizon said. “Your suggestions are very important. Thank you, Sir, for these invaluable inputs.”
With corruption probes heating up, Diokno’s strong stance adds another layer of pressure on the DPWH. For the public, the question now is whether these bold proposals will finally crack open the truth behind the flood project controversies.
