Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will go after the contractor of another flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, found to have similar red flags with the project that was the subject of the first case filed with the anti-graft court in the multi-billion peso corruption scandal.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Monday, Jan. 26, the collapsed river dike along Mag-Asawang River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, did not follow the approved engineering specifications – the same concern in the P290 million road dike earlier identified by the government as substandard.
This came after Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito ‘Bonz’ Dolor personally inspected the project on Saturday, Jan. 24.
“Itong bagong kontratista, itong NewBig Four J, kakasuhan na rin natin ito dahil substandard ‘yung ginawa nila. Hindi lang dahil kulang ‘yung sheet pile, pero dahil ngayon, kaunting ulan gumigiba na naman,” said Dizon.
[Translation: This new contractor, NewBig Four J, will also face charges because the work they did was substandard – not only because the sheet piles were insufficient, but because even with just a little rain, the structure is already collapsing again.]
He added that he will personally inspect the project in the next few weeks.
In a separate statement, the DPWH said it will issue a demand letter against NewBig Four J and order them to immediately repair the river dike.
The DPWH also said a team of experts will “conduct proper assessment on the project and enforce permanent solutions to prevent the recurrence of major flooding in surrounding towns of Naujan and Victoria.”
Nine people – all personnel of the DPWH – were detained for graft and non-bailable malversation charges, in connection with a substandard road dike, contracted by Sunwest Inc., linked to fugitive Zaldy Co.
The former House appropriations chairman and six others remain at large.
