Suspension of 8 DPWH men sought

The Office of the Ombudsman was asked yesterday to preventively suspend a regional director and seven other personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways for allegedly overpricing a water system project.

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson made the appeal in a three-page motion that is a follow-up to the case he filed against the eight DPWH officials and employees last Nov. 20.

Those he wants suspended to prevent them from hiding or altering evidence and influencing witnesses are Regional Director Nestor Agustin of Region 4A, District Engineer Roberto Nicolas, Assistant District Engineer Federico Concepcion, engineers Theodoro Llantos and Monte Carlos Guan, accountants Caridad Advincula, Marilyn Molina, and Raquel Dita.

Except for Agustin, the accused are assigned with the Laguna engineering district.

Lacson has charged them with overpricing a water system project in Majayjay, Laguna that was financed out of his 2002 pork barrel funds.

His volunteer private engineers have discovered that nearly 1,500 pieces of water pipes were overpriced by as much as P42 million. The engineering district office paid P6,185,343 for the pipes when they should have cost only P1,991,769 as certified by the manufacturer.

Lacson has also complained of some "defects" in another project – a farm-to-market road in Balagtas, Bulacan. – Jess Diaz, Jose Rodel Clapano