5 DPWH-Iloilo execs dismissed for grave misconduct

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of five officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineering office in Iloilo City for grave misconduct.

In a decision released on Tuesday, the ombudsman also ordered the cancellation of the eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from holding public office of district engineer officer-in-charge Teodoro Castillo, Bids and Awards Committee chairman Ruby Lagoc, BAC member and construction section chief Joemar Nepomuceno, maintenance section chief Nestor Molato and planning and design section chief Jonathan Dublas.  

Investigation showed that the DPWH officials were involved in irregularities in the P9-million Iloilo-Jaro Diversion Road project.  

Ombudsman probers said the DPWH executives made it appear that bidding was conducted prior to the award of the project to JSG Construction Co. Inc.

“It is doubtful if a bidding was actually conducted because the supporting documents …do not show that there was a publication of the bidding with the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System... there are no copies of the bidding documents of the purported bidders,” the ombudsman ruling approved by Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente stated. 

The case against accountant Condrado Sorongon Jr. was dismissed for lack of evidence.