Lamppost scam arraignment set

The Sandiganbayan has set on June 6 the arraignment of a regional director and eight other officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and two contractors for graft charges arising from alleged anomalies in the purchase of decorative lampposts used in last year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cebu.

The anti-graft court’s first division summoned DPWH regional director Robert Lala and the following officials to appear for their arraignment: Gloria Dindin, former assistant director for Region 7; Marlina Alvizo, assistant director and chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the regional office; Pureza Fernandez and Cresensio Bagolor, officer-in-charge and assistant chief, respectively, of the maintenance division; and Agustinito Hermoso, Luis Galang, Restituto Diano, and Buenaventura Pajo, all members of the BAC.

Also summoned were Gerardo Surla, chairman of Gampik Construction and Development Inc., and Isabelo Braza, president and chairman of Fabmik Construction and Equipment Supply Company Inc.

The first division, chaired by Presiding Justice Diosdado Peralta, is handling two of seven separate counts of graft filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against the respondents.

In the other cases, former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano and incumbent Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza were implicated, along with city engineers Hidelisa Latonio, Gregorio Omo, Mario Gerolaga, Alfredo Sanchez, Rosalina Denque, Julito Cuizon, Fernando Tagaan Jr., and Rodelio Veloso.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez earlier ordered all nine DPWH officials and eight city engineers dismissed from the service.