MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Wednesday the preventive suspension without pay for up to six months of eight Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel over alleged irregularities in infrastructure projects in Surigao del Norte.
In a six-page order, the Ombudsman said the suspension would remain in effect pending the resolution of administrative cases against the seven engineers and one accountant.
“Sufficient grounds exist to impose preventive suspension on Respondents,” the order read. “Without delving into the merits of the case and based on the evidence submitted by Complainant, the allegations against Respondents appear to be supported by strong evidence at this stage,” it added.
Preventive suspension was ordered to prevent the respondents from potentially abusing the authority of their current positions while the administrative cases are being investigated.
Those suspended were Annie Dela Vega, DPWH Regional Office XI district engineer; Federico Gotico III, Demilyn Castrence, Quintinano Armendariz Jr. and Edward Tinio, all Engineer III; Florencio Sulana, Engineer II and acting chief of Quality Assurance; Ricky Arciga, Engineer II; and Jerome Sulapas, Accountant III.
In August, the Ombudsman recommended the filing of criminal and administrative complaints against the respondents, along with former Surigao del Norte Representatives Francisco Matugas and Francisco Matugas II, over the anomalous ₱80.61-million Mahayhay–Tuburan Road project in Del Carmen which was declared fully complete.
The OMB’s Field Investigation Office II filed administrative charges of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave misconduct, and serious dishonesty following allegations that substantially incomplete projects under the DPWH Surigao del Norte 1st District Engineering Office had been fully paid.
Site inspection conducted in April found the project only 65 to 70 percent accomplished. At least ₱31,586,438.91 was released despite its actual condition.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure earlier submitted a list of reportedly completed DPWH projects in the area that were allegedly not fully delivered.
