Lacson files graft charges vs 6 officials

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson filed graft charges with the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday against a town mayor, five field officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and a contractor.

In a five-page complaint, Lacson said the government lost money because of the substandard construction of a 5.4-kilometer farm-to-market road in Balagtas town in Bulacan.

The project was financed out of a P1.5 million allocation from the senator’s 2001 pork barrel funds.

Lacson said the accused officials and the contractor should be held liable for the poor quality of the project.

Charged were Mayor Reynaldo Castro, district engineer Marcelo Mendiola, assistant district engineer Ernesto Reyes, project engineer Rafaelito Marcelo, site supervisor Arnel Gonzales and Jesus Torres, project implementation chief, and contractor Robert Imperial of IM Construction Corp.

Based on the program of work drawn up by the public works officials, the road should have at least four inches of gravel cover.

However, Lacson’s volunteer engineers who inspected the project did not see gravel materials in many parts of the road.

Earlier, Lacson filed charges against DPWH Region IV A Director Nestor Agustin and other regional officials in connection with alleged overpricing of pipes for a water project in Majayjay, Laguna.

The opposition senator and presidential hopeful has given up some P211 million in pork barrel funds this year.

He said the pork barrel system has become a source of easy money for corrupt lawmakers and other officials, and contractors.

Less than half of such funds is spent for projects, he said.

He also said he has created more enemies than gained friends by dispensing pork barrel funds.