NO less that Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon led in the filing of graft charges against officials of the department and four contractors over the flood control scam before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Secretary Dizon in a media briefing said that among the respondents include St. Timothy Construction Corporation, represented by Sarah Discaya, and former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara, and former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza.
He also said that the other respondents include DPWH officials such as John Michael Ramos, Ernesto Galang, Lorenzo Pagtalunan, Norberto Santos, Jaime Hernandez, Floralyn Simbulan, Juanito Mendoza, Roberto Roque, Jolo Tayao, Benedict Matarawan, Christina Mae Pineda, Paul Jayson Duya, Merg Laus, Jaron Laus Lemuel Roque, Arjay Domasig, John Carlo Rivera, John Francisco, and certain John Does and Jane Does.
On the other hand, the contractors who were included were the SYMS Construction Trading, represented by Sally Santos; Wawao Builders, represented by Mark Allan Arevalo, and IM Construction Corporation, represented by Roberto Imperio.
He said that a total of 25 individuals as well as four contractors are facing charges.
Likewise, they are facing charges of malversation through falsification of public documents, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and violation of the Government Procurement Act.
“Uulitin ko ang instruction ng ating Pangulo… lahat ng kailangang managot ay dapat managot kahit kilala niya, kaibigan niya, kaalyado niya. Lahat dapat managot,” Dizon said.
“Simula pa lang po ito. Marami pa pong ibang kailangan managot at dapat managot sa mga susunod na araw, susunod na linggo, at susunod na buwan,” he later added.
No Curlee?
Media also explained that Discaya’s husband, Curlee, was not included in the charge as Sarah was the one who testified in the Senate to being the beneficial owner of St. Timothy.
“Pero ‘wag po tayo magaalala. Kagaya ng sinabi ko, marami pa ito at una pa lang ito. So maghintay na lang tayo sa mga susunod na kaso,” he said.
Appeal to public
Secretary Dizon then appealed to the public not to put all DPWH employees under one basket saying that are a lott of honest and good employees in the department.
“Hindi naman po porke’t naka-DPWH uniform ay magnanakaw, ay masamang tao. Marami po dito, higit nakakarami, maayos po ito. Nakakaawa naman po sila. Wag naman po tayong humusga lamang dahil taga-DPWH,” he said.
Read More:
