4 DPWH execs sacked

Over Davao flood control anomalies, extortion in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has sacked four DPWH regional and district executives, following preliminary investigations into alleged flood control project anomalies in Davao and extortion activities in Cebu.

Dizon said Mimaropa assistant regional director Richard Ragasa, Davao City 3rd District Engineering Office chief Lilibeth Sarmiento and Davao City DEO construction section chief Roberto Mamaril have been issued the formal dismissal orders.

The three were linked to irregular flood control contracts in Davao City and named in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) complaint before the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Also ordered dismissed from service was Renato Catingub, Cebu 4th District Engineering Office construction chief, for direct corruption allegations.

“Effective today, they are stripped of all their official positions while formal administrative and criminal proceedings remain ongoing,” Dizon said.

Speaking to reporters during an inspection of the Diokno Pumping Station in Pasay City yesterday, Dizon said he appointed Ragasa as assistant regional director for Mimaropa on April 21, when he was undertaking a cleanup of the DPWH over the flood control scandals.

Ragasa was previously assigned as Davao City district engineer.

Dizon said that Ragasa, Sarmiento and Mamaril were implicated in the NBI probe on the multibillion-peso flood mitigation projects awarded to private contractor Genesis 88 Construction, a firm owned by contractor-businessman Glenn Escandor.

Genesis 88 Construction bagged P7.03 billion in government infrastructure contracts across Davao, Dizon noted.

As for Catingub, Dizon said the DPWH has received verified reports that the engineer engaged in extortion activities targeting private contractors handling infrastructure projects in Cebu.

“In the case of engineer Catingub, we are enforcing a strict one-strike policy. If credible reports of extortion or corruption reach my desk, removal from office is immediate,” Dizon said.