17 DPWH officials face graft probe over WB project mess

MANILA, Philippines - Seventeen officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways will be investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman to determine if graft charges could be filed against them in connection with alleged anomalies in the World Bank-funded road projects. The Office of the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office (FIO), headed by assistant ombudsman Mark Jalandoni, has recommended the conduct of a preliminary investigation on the DPWH officials that include former DPWH secretary Florante Soriquez, current undersecretary Manuel Bonoan, and assistant secretaries Bashir Rasuman, Salvador Pleytol and Juanito Abergas. In an interview with GMANews.TV on Wednesday, Jalandoni said the FIO asked for a preliminary investigation of the said officials to determine if charges could be filed against them before the Sandiganbayan. “They will not be charged yet. A preliminary investigation must be conducted first. If there is probable cause, they would be charged before the Sandiganbayan. If not, then the case would be dismissed," said Jalandoni. Jalandoni said FIO's recommendation would be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman's Preliminary Investigation Division that will conduct the probe. The said division is headed by assistant ombudsman Jose de Jesus. "It is in that division where the officials subject for investigation will submit their counter-affidavits," Jalandoni told GMANews.TV. The case stemmed from the blacklisting of three local firms by the World Bank for allegedly rigging the bids to bag contracts in the National Roads Improvement and Management Project Phase 1 (NRIMP-1). Jalandoni said they received the report from the World Bank last November 2007. Mike Arroyo not included The Ombudsman’s findings meanwhile made no mention of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo. Mr. Arroyo was among those who allegedly received commissions from the contractors that want to bag the road projects. A World Bank report noted that according to a witness, Mr. Arroyo pocketed five percent of the project cost. Mr. Arroyo's camp denied the allegation. Jalandoni said the Office of the Ombudsman would be summoning the three witnesses who mentioned Mr. Arroyo in their affidavits that were used as basis for the World Bank report. “We will be calling the three witnesses and will confront them regarding their statements wherein they implicated several other personalities," he said. Jalandoni clarified that what they have just released was only the first findings of their fact-finding investigation wherein they were able to establish collusion between and among the members of the DPWH-Bids and Awards Committee and the bidders. He said the second part of the investigation would zero in on whether the said government officials colluded with the private contractors in the bidding process. Jalandoni said the National Bureau of Investigation would take part in the second part of the probe. Roll call Jalandoni said the FIO asked for a preliminary investigation on Soriquez because he approved the results of the bidding. He said Bonoan also has to undergo probe because he was the chairman of the DPWH-BAC for Visayas and Mindanao projects, as well as Rasuman because he was BAC chair for Mindanao. Also recommended to be investigated are Mocamad Raki-in Sr., vice-chairman for the Mindanao area; Rafael Yabut, vice chairman for operations for Area III; BAC members Emerson Benitez, project manager lll and head of the BAC-Technical Working Group; Baliame Mamainte, project director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development-Project Management Office (IBRD); Lope Adriano, project director for the IBRD-PMOP; and Atty. Joel Jacob, officer-in-charge of Legal Service. Others are Camilo Foronda, OIC for Legal Service; Director Antonio Molano, Jr. of the Bureau of Research and Standards; Leonora Cuenca, OIC of the Comptrollership and Financial Management Services; Director Walter Ocampo of the Bureau of Construction, all BAC members and Florencio Aricheta, representative from National Constructors Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Construction Association. If there is probable cause, the officials could be charged for violating Section 3 (e) and (i) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices); and Section 4A (a) and (b) of RA No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees). They could also be charged with administrative cases of grave misconduct, dishonesty, conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service and neglect of duty. Jalandoni said DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. was not included in the FIO’s recommendation due to lack of evidence that he participated in the alleged anomaly. - GMANews.TV