By Melvin C. Gascon
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Cagayan 3rd District Engineering Office has refused to release detailed records on multimillion-peso projects in Tuguegarao City amid the massive corruption scandal hounding the agency.
In a September 25 letter, District Engineer Esmeralda de Guzman denied Mayor Maila Ting-Que’s request for itemized data on seven major projects including the Caritan-Balzain creek works, the Pinacanauan River flood management project, and several multipurpose buildings at Cagayan State University.
Instead of disclosing the information, De Guzman invoked a memorandum issued by DPWH Secretary Vicencio Dizon, which directs local offices to release data only to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and other government investigators, and only within the narrow bounds of EO No. 2 on access to information.
Transparency in Name, Withholding in Practice
De Guzman said her district office will first “seek the guidance” of its regional office before acting on the mayor’s request.
Civil society groups in Cagayan blasted the move as a deliberate tactic to block scrutiny of projects long suspected of being riddled with irregularities.
“On paper, the DPWH talks about transparency. In practice, it’s hiding behind legal technicalities,” said a Cagayan lawyer allied with an anti-corruption watchdog.
Projects Under Probe
The projects in question — worth hundreds of millions of pesos — have been flagged in the national investigation into ghost projects, padded contracts, and substandard works.
Residents of Tuguegarao have complained that flood control structures meant to protect them have instead worsened flooding.
The DPWH is also under fire from residents for the severely delayed Pinacanauan Bridge 2 project, with an estimated P600 million already disbursed, but has been seen with little progress.
Records showed that the third contract for the bridge project, worth P285 million, was awarded to the joint venture between controversial firm St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor Development Corp. and JC Palomo Construction Supply.
St. Gerrard is one of the firms owned by the couple Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, who have confessed to having given billions in bribes to numerous lawmakers allegedly in exchange for project contracts.
For now, the release of records hinges on the DPWH regional office, while Mayor Ting-Que and her constituents wait for answers on where the money went. #
