DPWH dared to release findings on World Bank probe

MANILA, Philippines - An anti-corruption watchdog yesterday dared the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to release the findings of its investigation on the allegedly rigged bidding for World Bank (WB) road projects.

The Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) said that the longer the DPWH keeps mum on the results of its own Fact Finding Committee (FFC), the more it would raise doubts that the government is not capable of addressing the corruption problem in the country.

TAN executive director Vincent Lazatin said it is DPWH’s duty to come out with its FFC report.

“There are expectations from the public that the department would act on it or the President may get involved and act on it. But if nothing happens, then it gives the perception that nothing is being done (to address the corruption problem in the country),” Lazatin said.

He immediately wrote Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. for a copy of the report, after learning from news reports that the committee had already concluded its three-month investigation.

“We have not yet received a response, we are just keeping our fingers crossed that we would be given a copy,” said Lazatin.

But Lazatin said they are not surprised at all that some DPWH officials refuse to divulge the report.

“It’s always been like that, whenever a controversy comes out, there would be a gag order. It would be nice if the secretary releases to the public the results of the investigation. If he doesn’t, the people will have doubts about the report. Let’s say even if the secretary has taken action on the recommendations, we won’t know if they followed the recommendations,” Lazatin said.

In a previous interview, Ebdane said the committee’s main report only consists of three pages, accompanied by annexes.

This reportedly prompted him to consider creating a second committee to tackle the legal and technical aspect of the investigation. The first committee only established the facts of the case.

Just recently, Transparency International (TI) came out with a Global Corruption Barometer for 2009, an opinion survey that assesses the general public’s perception and experiences of corruption and bribery that covered 69 countries and territories. The survey was conducted from Oct. 25 last year until Feb. 25 this year.

In the survey, 77 percent of the respondents said that the Philippine government was “ineffective” and only 21 percent of the respondents said the government was “effective.” The remaining two percent said “neither.”

“Based on the response of the respondents, nothing can be done in resolving the corruption. So when something like this (WB rigged projects) comes out and nothing is being done, it contributes to that perception,” Lazatin said.

In a previous interview, Ebdane said he believed that the controversy was only being highlighted in the media because the three controversial WB projects, allegedly rigged, never pushed through. “The question is how can there be a violation of the law when the $33 million was not released. The funding was set aside. Actually, there was no crime,” Ebdane said.

The failed WB biddings reportedly happened two years ago involving projects in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Surigao province. When the WB abandoned the three projects allegedly because of corrupt practices, the DPWH took over using local funds.

Last Jan. 15, the WB permanently debarred E.C. de Luna Construction Corp. and its proprietor Eduardo de Luna from participating in any bidding for its road and buildings projects. The WB also blacklisted several other companies from joining in biddings for its projects for shorter periods.