DPWH official clarifies matters

In reference to the article of Jarius Bondoc which appeared in his column “Gotcha” dated Sept. 26, 2012 entitled “Certain DPWH officers defying internal reforms” please be informed of the following explanations/clarifications:

1. In 2003-2004 the COA issued Notices of Disallowance on 49 infrastructure projects of the National Government implemented by the then Tacloban City Sub-District engineering office of the DPWH amounting to P152.771 million.

2. The following year, 2005, the COA conducted a Special Audit/Investigation of Cash National Treasury MDS Account (Fund 101) involving payment of those projects which were already included in the Notices of Disallowance mentioned above.

It is clarified that the mentioned projects/transactions reportedly audited by COA covered transactions that happened/occurred in the years 2003 and 2004. Corresponding Notices of Suspension and Disallowances were issued in the year 2005 and Notice of Finality of Decision was only issued last year 2011. These were projects of the National Government implemented by the DPWH, Tacloban City Sub-District Office. The local government of Tacloban City has nothing to do with those transactions.

These transactions happened long before the undersigned assumed the position of District Engineer on July 7, 2009.

Hoping that the foregoing clarify matters. — ARNALDO R. BONIFACIO, District Engineer, Tacloban City District Engineering Office (DPWH)