Datumanong clears 3 DPWH execs in vehicle repair anomaly

Secretary Simeon Datumanong of the Department of Public Works and Highways cleared yesterday Undersecretaries Mabini Pablo and Edmundo Mir, and Director Abraham Divina of the DPWH’s Bureau of Equipment, of culpability in a P150-million scam involving "ghost" repairs of motor vehicles and emergency purchases of vehicle parts and equipment.

Datumanong and lawyer Irene Ofilada, DPWH internal auditor, told the Senate committee on public works headed by Sen. Ramon Revilla that not once did the names of Pablo, Mir and Divina appear in the more than 7,000 documents involving the "repair" of about 521 motor vehicles.

But even if the three were not required to go over the vouchers requesting funds for the repairs and emergency purchases, they were suspended "for command responsibility," Datumanong said.

Ofilada said their auditing of the various vouchers showed the extent of abuse made in getting repairs and buying spare parts.

"Even the purchase of seat covers was categorized as an emergency," she told the committee.

She said that in one instance, there was an "emergency purchase" of five tires, including the spare tire, for one vehicle.

"Probably, all five suffered flat tires at the same time," quipped Sen. Robert Jaworski.

Ofilada also said that three fuel injection pumps were bought for one vehicle in a span of seven months.

"Front and rear windshields of a vehicle were purchased three times in months," she added.

She said that the scam came about because the end-user was not allowed to take part in the transaction. She pointed out that auditing rules demand that the end-user, or the one with the vehicle, should make the request for the repair of the vehicle or for emergency purchase of spare parts and equipment.

"Each voucher for request of payment should have passed the end user 13 times, yet, not one of the 7,000 vouchers was signed by the end-user," Ofilada said.

She identified Assistant Director Florendo Arias of the DPWH Bureau of Equipment, as the one signing most of the papers. She said that all vouchers were prized at P25,000 and below, so they fall under the jurisdiction of the assistant director.

She also said that most of the requests were made by Maximo Borje, chief of the DPWH motorpool.

Borje said that he made the requests for the repair or emergency purchase even if he was not the end-user because his name was already on the voucher and he was assured that it was okay.

"Hindi po maiiwasan. Mabait sila sa akin kaya mabait din ako sa kanila (It could not be avoided. They were kind to me, so I was also kind to them)," Borje said when asked to explain further his readiness to sign requests allegedly given to him.

Borje drew the ire of Jaworski when the senator felt that Borje was being discourteous to the panel and was not taking the inquiry seriously.

Datumanong said that 41 DPWH employees, including Borje, are under investigation. Ofilada said they are already more than half-way through in sifting through the voluminous documents.