Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) — District engineers allegedly involved in corruption in public works projects have been relieved of their duties in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar disclosed Thursday.
In late December, Duterte revealed the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission’s list of purportedly corrupt former and incumbent lawmakers as well as DPWH district engineers, despite admitting that there is “no hard evidence” against them. He then ordered the relief of the accused district engineers.
“Merong mga na-relieve na sa trabaho. Labing 14 na na-relieve,” Villar told a briefing.
[Translation: 14 district engineers have been relieved.]
Duterte said the following lawmakers are being probed by the PACC: Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez Sato, Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas, Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal, Isabela Rep. Alyssa Sheena Tan, Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza, Quezon Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Yap, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, and former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, Jr.
Accusations against them include demanding kickbacks, bid rigging, and implementing anomalous road projects.
The lawmakers denied the allegations, saying they are ready to face investigations to prove their innocence.
The President said identifying the lawmakers as being linked to corrupt activities did not automatically mean they are guilty of wrongdoing. But Duterte noted that people had the right to know about the information he received from the PACC.
Critics have said that Duterte revealed the list of supposedly corrupt lawmakers to draw the public’s attention away from the controversy over members of the military, including Duterte’s security detail, being given shots of still unlicensed vaccine. His spokesman Harry Roque refuted this allegation.
