Dizon to Lopez: Your turn to get rid of corrupt DPWH personnel

MANILA, Philippines —Former Department of Public Works and Highways chief Vince Dizon on Tuesday turned over to his successor documents of DPWH personnel linked to corruption. 

Dizon on Monday was reassigned as transportation secretary, replacing Giovanni Lopez, who in turn took over Dizon’s DPWH top post.

During the DPWH turnover ceremony, Dizon handed Lopez a thick pile of documents of DPWH personnel linked to irregularities.  

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“Ikaw na bahala sa mga yan, tanggalin mo na yan in the next few weeks. Reviewin mo na lang. Yan po yung mga susunod. Sorry, gano’n talaga; we have to get rid of the rotten apples and protect the good ones,” Dizon said in a press conference. 

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(I leave all of these to you; remove them in the next few weeks. Just review these. These will be the next. I’m sorry, but that’s how it is, we have to get rid of the rotten apples and protect the good ones.)

READ: Dizon, Lopez swap agencies in latest Cabinet revamp

Dizon said over 80 DPWH officials and personnel have been removed from their posts over corruption issues under his leadership.

He said this figure may double, as he has already turned over their documents to Lopez. 

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During the height of the investigation into alleged anomalies in the country’s flood control projects, several DPWH officials and personnel were already dismissed, including former Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez.

Alcantara was the district engineer who approved several flood control projects in his area, where he earlier admitted to certifying the completion of ghost projects.

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He also admitted to taking around P300 million in kickbacks from flood control projects in Bulacan.

Hernandez also became a central figure in flood control anomalies, where Commission on Audit findings traced a series of irregularities in his office, including projects fully paid with little or no implementation and falsified documents, among others. 

READ: How ex-DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez allegedly built a flood of corruption

Last week, Dizon sacked10 DPWH officials and personnel amid the investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects in Davao City and for allegedly extorting contractors in Cebu City.

More lenient?

When asked if the new leadership of the DPWH will become more lenient towards its erring employees, Dizon shared that Lopez is stricter than him in leading their agencies. 

“Kung iniisip nila na si [Secretary Giovanni] is going to be easier or more lenient than me, aba I think everyone is in for a big surprise. Because I think the opposite is true, mas strikto sa akin ito,” he said. 

(If they think that [Secretary Giovanni is going to be easier or more lenient than me, I think everyone is in for a big surprise. Because I think the opposite is true, he is stricter than me.)

Dizon also pointed out how Lopez is keen in pointing out discrepancies and anomalies as the latter is a certified public accountant. 

“I think you will be in for a big big surprise if you think that Sec Banoy is not going to even doubling down on the reforms that we have done here,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lopez said that he never had any professional relationship or debt of gratitude with anyone in the DPWH, which he said will make it easier for him to decide on urgent and critical matters. 

“Wala akong political capital kaya pag sinabi kong hindi tama, hindi naaayon sa batas, hindi naaayon sa proseso, mas madali rin po akong magsabi na no kahit sino pa ang magpilit sa akin na sabihing kailangang gawin,” Lopez said in the same press conference. 

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(I don’t have any political capital, that’s why if I say that this is not right, this is not in line with the law and processes, it will be easier for me to say no even if others tell me to do otherwise.) /gsg