Newly appointed DPWH Secretary ‘Vince’ Dizon receives the agency’s flag from outgoing Secretary ‘Manny’ Bonoan during yesterday’s turnover ceremony.
On his assumption as head of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Secretary Vivencio ‘Vince’ Dizon has ordered the abolition of the agency’s internal investigating team formed by the resigned DPWH chief Manuel ‘Manny’ Bonoan, saying the Department will no longer probe itself on the anomalies surrounding flood control projects.
According to the newly installed public works chief, his directive to abolish Bonoan’s anti-graft body was in deference to the independent body being formed by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
Dizon’s predecessor had organized the anti-corruption task force to allow the public to report irregularities and corrupt personnel as it was facing serious criticism from almost all sectors regarding substandard and ghost flood mitigation projects.
Following the creation of the task force, Malacañan announced that Bonoan had resigned and would be replaced by Dizon, who was then transportation secretary.
Speaking at a on-site inspection in Subic, Zambales, Dizon enthused that the DPWH should not probe itself, noting that Marcos is already creating an independent panel that would look into the agency’s anomalous projects.
“With all due respect to the officials who formed the task force, I don’t believe an organization can investigate itself. It doesn’t seem right,” Dizon pointed out.
“For me, the President has spoken. He will create an independent commission. Let us give the independent commission the responsibility and authority to
investigate,” he added.
Accordingly, the independent commission, which will be created through an executive order, will investigate claims about project irregularities and come up with recommendations on what to do with parties found to be involved in corrupt practices.
In a related development, President Marcos Jr. declined to comment on reports that Baguio City mayor Benjamin ‘Benjie’ Magalong, who had claimed that at least 67 lawmakers are using contractors as ‘fronts’ for flood control projects, would be part of the Independent anti-graft commission.
“I don’t want to talk about it until it is completed. We have not completed the plan, but we’ll talk about this soon. Very, very soon,” the President asserted in a chance interview also in Subic.