8 DPWH men fired for vehicle scam

Eight of the 13 officials and employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) found to be involved in the P180-million vehicle repair scam have been dismissed from the service.

Fifteen more are undergoing administrative hearing.

"In conformity with the pertinent provision of the law and jurisprudence and to assure that pertinent laws are being applied in the disposition of the case and to avoid suspicion of whitewash, the legal department is hereby directed to immediately execute the resolution of (former) secretary Simeon Datumanong and report to me the result of the implementation," read Department Order 161 issued by DPWH Secretary Florante Soriquez last June 16.

Lawyer Joel Jacob, acting chief of the DPWH legal department, said orders have already been given to drop the names of the eight dismissed officials and employees from the payroll.

Jacob said the five others continue to receive their salaries because they were able to get a temporary restraining order from a court in Manila.

"In the case of the five, we cannot do anything because we could be cited in contempt of court if we defy it," he said.

The five could go "as high as the Supreme Court" and further delay their dismissal, he added.

The administrative hearing of 15 officials and employees, the "second batch" involved in the anomaly, had already started.

Apart from the 13, former DPWH secretary Simeon Datumanong suspended three other employees, while the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission dismissed five more officials.

The scam arose from the "exorbitant, fictitious and repetitive repairs" of some 500 DPWH vehicles, some of which were beyond "economic repair."–Jose Aravilla