PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon testified before the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday in a graft case against former Ako Bicol representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co and several former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials over an alleged substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
The DPWH said the P289.4-million Sunwest project was intended to help mitigate flooding in the province, particularly in the town of Naujan.
Dizon took the witness stand, saying that there were obvious irregularities in the project’s implementation.
In September last year, Dizon inspected the project and discovered that the road dike had only a 3-meter steel sheet pile, which was far from the 12-meter requirement.
The DPWH said Dizon’s testimony was part of the agency’s continuing cooperation with other government agencies to bring to justice those involved in the misuse of public funds.
The DPWH said this was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to clean up the agency and root out corruption in public works projects.
Co, now a declared fugitive, was also charged with plunder with former House speaker Martin Romualdez for allegedly receiving pecuniary benefits amounting to at least P7.44 billion in connection with flood control projects.
Next to testify before the Sandiganbayan is former Public Works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo on Oct. 7.
