MANILA, Philippines – Ipinag-utos ni Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon ang pagsuspinde sa ilang tauhan ng Baguio City District Engineering Office dahil sa umano’y pandaraya, pagsasaayos, at manipulasyon sa proseso ng bidding para sa mga proyektong pang-imprastraktura sa lungsod.
Ayon sa memorandum na may petsang Setyembre 26, ang mga sumusunod ay binibigyan ng limang araw para ipaliwanag kung bakit hindi sila dapat harapin ng mga naaangkop na administrative charges:
-Rene Zarate, district engineer
-Cesario Rillera, Planning and Design Section chief
-Nora Delos Santos, Maintenance Section chief
-Jessie Ramos, Planning and Design Section Engineer II
-Frances Vincent Saloria, Planning and Design Section Engineer II
-Frigilda Legaspi, Administrative Officer II
-Members of the BAC-TWG
Si Zarate ang pinuno ng Baguio City district engineering office.
“The said manipulation of the bidding process is allegedly done to favor contractors or companies used as dummies by the spouses and family members of certain employees of the DEO,” nakasaad sa memorandum.
“It was also alleged that a particular contractor – Goldrich Construction and Trading – has been consistently favored, enabling it to secure 67% of the total appropriation of the projects allocated for Baguio City DEO from 2022 to 2025, excluding the projects awarded to Tango-Romeo General Construction, alleged to be a dummy or co-owned company of the latter,” dagdag nito.
Sinabi ng DPWH na ang pagsususpinde ay bilang tugon sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na panagutin ang mga responsable sa mga maanomalyang proyekto ng ahensya.
Nagsampa din si Dizon ng pormal na kaso at 30-araw na preventive suspension laban kay Zarate dahil sa hindi niya pakikipagtulungan sa Independent Commission for Infrastructure. RNT/MND
