GMA names acting DPWH secretary

President Arroyo appointed the most senior official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to replace Bayani Fernando as DPWH secretary.

Malacañang, however, made the appointment of Undersecretary Florante Soriquez in an "acting capacity" even after Fernando decided to concentrate on his other job as chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Fernando held the concurrent position as DPWH secretary and MMDA chairman since January following a Cabinet revamp.

Both Fernando and Soriquez were not available for comment over the appointment.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye, however, explained Soriquez was chosen because he was a career employee who worked his way up to the top.

Soriquez, 61, worked as a laborer, a survey aide, foreman, civil engineering aide, associate civil engineer, supervisor, project manager, assistant regional director and assistant secretary before being named undersecretary in 1962.

Soriquez hails from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. He earned his civil engineering degree from the Mapua Institute of Technology. He has also an engineering diploma from Germany and master’s degree from the Philippine Christian University.

Malacañang said Soriquez helped build the Manila International Airport driveway and the Guadalupe Interchange in Makati City and the Tramo Road in Pasay City.

In a statement, Malacañang added Soriquez garnered a number of commendations and awards in his 41 years of service in the DPWH.

Probes and further probes

Meanwhile, Fernando announced the DPWH has started its investigation of a contractor who allegedly padded the cost of a government road improvement project.

He refused to elaborate or identify the contractor but said "everything is still being checked."

"Yes, there is such a case but everything could be legal. We still have to establish if there is anything wrong with the project," Fernando told The STAR in a telephone interview.

Sources, however, revealed that additional works or "change orders" have long been used by contractors to pad project costs resulting in unfinished projects due to shortage of funds.

But in the case of the unnamed contractor, the DPWH said the scheme he employed was "too much and blatant."

In a related development, a DPWH consultant allegedlt lifted the suspension of payment to a DPWH repair contractor who was allegedly involved in the P180-million vehicle repair scam in 2001.

Bulacan-based DEB Auto Repair shop has been recommended "removed from the list of suppliers and repair shops suspended to collect payments from and/or do business with the DPWH" in a memorandum by Fernando’s "consultant for public affairs" Frank Wenceslao, dated April 3.

The recommendation was approved the following day by Undersecretary Antonio Inocentes, who along with Wenceslao and chief-of-staff Martin Ong were the three officials Fernando brought with him to DPWH.

DEB was suspended by former DPWH chief, now Justice Sec. Simeon Datumanong in an Aug. 23, 2002 memorandum after the company was investigated in connection with the vehicle repair scam.

DPWH auditors estimated the amount disbursed for supposed repairs cost the DPWH P180 million in 2001 alone. This led to the investigation of over 40 DPWH officials and employees involved in the anomaly.