4 DPWH execs charged with graft

The Office of the Ombudsman charged four officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Iloilo before the Sandiganbayan yesterday over an alleged anomaly in a road project in the province in 2001.

Charged with violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were Wilfredo Castillo, DPWH regional director for Western Visayas; Rudy Canastillo, former assistant regional director; Edward Canastillo, acting head of the Iloilo First Engineering Sub-District Office; and Cecil Caligan, acting assistant head of the sub-district office.

Private contractor Rogelio Yap of Roma Construction and Development Corp. was also included in the charge sheet.

Graft and prosecution officer Allan Francisco Garciano said the five accused allegedly conspired to defraud the government of millions of pesos in the Bancal-Leon-Camandag Road project in Leon, Iloilo.

The accused allegedly made it appear that a solid rock excavation work used blasting materials valued at P6,733,394.23 when the materials actually utilized were only worth P38,610, or an alleged cost-padding of P6.69 million.

Listed as potential witnesses for the prosecution were Leon Mayor Romulo Cabana Sr., licensed blaster Ramon Caguitguit, and SPO3 Ely Superio, chief of the PNP-Region 6 Firearms and Explosives Office.

Two residents in the project site have also volunteered to take the witness stand to testify against the accused.