‘Mahiya ka naman’: Solons push DPWH’s Bonoan to resign amid flood control project mess

Metro Manila, Philippines - Two House lawmakers are pushing Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan to resign amid corruption allegations in infrastructure projects, including those for flood control.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was recently outraged after discovering that a P55-million river wall project has yet to be built despite being marked as completed.

Demanding Bonoan’s resignation, Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando appealed to Marcos to remove the DPWH chief.

“Kung hindi mo alam ang mga nangyayaring ghost projects sa ahensya mo, incompetent ka. Kung alam mo at wala kang ginawa, korap ka. Mamili ka lang, Sec. Bonoan,” San Fernando said on Thursday, Aug. 21. “Mahiya ka naman. Mag-resign ka na. Huwag mo nang hintayin na sisantihin ka.”

[Translation: If you do not know the ghost projects of your agency, you are incompetent. If you know and did not do anything, you are corrupt. Choose which, Sec. Bonoan. Be ashamed. Resign. Do not wait to be fired.]

“Pera ng mga manggagawa at ordinaryong Pilipino ang pinag-uusapan dito… Mr. President, fire Sec. Bonoan! After firing him, dapat ding imbestigahan ang secretary mismo! Imposibleng daang bilyong pondo ang umiikot, tapos ang secretary walang alam,” he said.

[Translation: This is about the money of workers and ordinary Filipinos. After firing him, he should be investigated! It is impossible that he knew nothing when we talk about hundreds of billions in funds.]

Bacolod Rep. Albee Benitez said the DPWH’s non-existent project “poses a danger to communities who depend on these projects to keep them safe."

“The principle of command responsibility demands that the secretary step down. If something as basic as this has been overlooked, who knows how many more critical projects are in a similar state," Benitez said. “The DPWH secretary should resign now."

Investigate first

For Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, Bonoan should be investigated first before urging him to resign.

“'Pag nakita ko naman na talagang may liabilities si Secretary Bonoan, kahit command responsibility lang, ako rin po mismo mananawagan ng resignation niya,” Valeriano said.

[Translation: If I see that Secretary Bonoan has liabilities, even if it is just command responsibility, I will also call for his resignation.]

“Heads of agencies have ultimate accountability for the failure of the agencies. I'm not calling for his resignation yet... In the course of House inquiry, makikita namin kung sino talaga 'yung mga may aktwal na pananagutan [we will find out who has the actual liability],” said Ridon, chairperson of the House committee on public accounts.

The House tri-committee – composed of the public accounts, public works, and good government panels – will begin its probe in the next two weeks.

Senator Panfilo Lacson has exposed supposed substandard and ghost flood control projects in Luzon, purportedly funded through congressional insertions. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong earlier said some lawmakers receive kickbacks from infrastructure projects.

The Senate has launched a congressional inquiry on the issue.

READ: 5 top contractors of flood control projects lacked capital - Gatchalian