DPWH officials, contractor charged with graft

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – For choking two major traffic routes in the city that has been irking thousands of residents and motorists here, public works officials and a contractor were sued for graft and corrupt practices.

This, though residents along Loakan and Kennon Roads were assured several times already about fast-tracking the completion of the roads.

A citizen’s suit was filed against the Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Ireneo Gallato, and private contractor Goldrich president William Go, and several other individuals responsible for the implementation of the project.

Specifically, they were sued for violation of Section 3e of RA 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act because they “conspired with each other and did not consider public welfare when they prosecuted the road work projects in Loakan Road and Camp 8, Kennon Road, which made it non-feasance or malfeasance which should make them criminally liable for violation of paragraph 3e of RA 3019.”

 Complainants are Timothy Pudlao Jr., lawyer Reenan Orate, Dionisio Martin, Martin Sagudin Sr., Martin Domingo, Paul Lomas-e, Domingo Timbalan, Marcelina Ariza, and Renzie Gonzales, all residents of Kias, a barangay traversed by Loakan Road.

Section 3e of RA 3019 punishes parties who cause any undue injury to any party, including government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.

Simultaneous implementation of the project, complainants said “is suspicious” and “DPWH officials are favoring a contractor for unknown reasons, which could be interpreted as a commission of graft and corruption. The same is true on how the contractor prosecuted the project when he used land-fillings from Camp 8 to his Loakan project.”

A humongous traffic problem has been bogging motorists along these routes for more than three weeks now.