MANILA, Philippines — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Tuesday ordered the removal of four Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials from their positions amid investigations into alleged irregularities in flood control projects in Davao City and reports of extortion involving a construction official in Cebu.
Dizon said the four officials would be removed effective immediately while investigations into the alleged anomalies continue.
Those removed include former Davao City district engineer Richard Ragasa, who has been reassigned to Region 4B (Mimaropa); Lilibeth Sarmiento, the current Davao district engineer; and Roberto Mamaril, city district engineering office-construction section chief.
Dizon told The Manila Times that the three were among those being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with alleged irregularities involving flood control projects in Davao, including projects linked to Genesis 88.
The NBI's findings have been referred to the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman, he said.
The fourth official, engineer Renato Catingub, construction chief of the DPWH Cebu 4th District Engineering Office, was removed following a report that he had allegedly been extorting money from contractors.
The DPWH chief said the department would enforce a policy of immediately removing officials from their posts upon receiving reports of alleged wrongdoing, particularly in cases involving extortion.
He stressed that DPWH personnel implicated in corruption or facing cases over alleged irregularities would not be allowed to remain in their positions.
“Once you get involved in these kinds of irregularities, you must be dismissed from service,” Dizon said, reiterating that the removal orders for the four officials would take effect immediately.
He added that the department was preparing further actions against other officials facing investigations, including district engineers, assistant district engineers and personnel from regional and district offices.
Dizon said the department's Legal Service and Internal Audit Investigation Service has been finalizing its reports on the other cases. He expected to announce additional removals in the coming weeks.
The latest action forms part of the DPWH's continuing efforts to address allegations of corruption and irregularities involving public infrastructure projects, particularly flood control works that have come under scrutiny.
The allegations against the four officials have yet to be established through final administrative or judicial findings, according to the top DPWH official.
Dizon reiterated that the four department officials were now effectively stripped of all their official positions while formal criminal and administrative proceedings are underway.
