Immigration order also covers DPWH execs
THE Department of Justice has issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against officials DPWH officials and private contractors involved in substandard or even “ghost” flood control projects.
The ILBO signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla covered those in the request made by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, DOJ spokesperson Asec. Mico Clavano said in a text message.
Clavano said a separate ILBO will be issued today (Thursday) based on the separate request made by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon. (See list from this link)
Among the DPWH officials listed in Marcoleta’s ILBO requests dated Aug. 27 and 28 were Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, Ramon Arriola III, Luz Dela Rosa, Gerard Opulencia, Roseller Tolentino, Jayson Jauco and Norberto Santos.
Also included were Henry Alcantara, a former district engineer allegedly linked to “ghost” flood control projects in Bulacan, and district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez.
Some 20 individuals from various contractors involver in questionable projects were also listed.
For his part, Dizon, in his letter sent to Remulla yesterday, said: “The timely issuance of an ILBO is of utmost necessity to enable the current investigations to proceed without delay and to hold these liable accountable to the Filipino people.”
Remulla acknowledged the time-sensitive nature of the request and the very real possibility that those involved are flight risks.
“The tendency of people is to really run away at the earliest opportunity… All of them are DPWH employees and some are contractors,” the Justice chief said.
Meanwhile, the lawyer of the Discayas, Cornelio Samaniego III, said the couple will not flee the country amid the ILBO.
“We respect that. For us, as long as there is no hold departure order, the lookout bulletin is just administrative, but we respect the process that the government is doing,” he said.
“They’re just at home. They’re happy that we’ve come out a little bit. We used to be quiet for a long time. We were just waiting for the Senate inquiry to start before we spoke because we didn’t want to be told that we went ahead with the media.”
“This is the time for us to face everyone,” Samaniego added.
As this developed, Dizon said he will also order a halt to all ongoing bidding for locally funded flood control projects across the country due to corruption issues within the DPWH.
“I will order today a pause to all the ongoing bidding of all locally funded projects nationwide because we need to first review and study based on the President’s directive to clean the house,” he said.
“The President does not want any more money from the government –from the DPWH – thrown in the river,” he added.
However, foreign-assisted projects will continue, Dizon said.
“We are confident that (foreign-funded projects) will be done because the foreign funders are watching,” he said. “I’m giving our new team two weeks maximum so we can put safeguards in place here in the process,” Dizon added.
