The purge in the Department of Public Works and Highways continues with eight local officials relieved from their posts pending investigation, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said yesterday.
In a briefing, Dizon said among those relieved from their positions were four regional directors (RDs), two assistant RDs and two district engineers (DEs).
Ordered relieved were RDs Ronnel M. Tan (Region 1), Jovel G. Mendoza (Region 4A), Virgilio C. Eduardo (Region 5) and Danilo J. Villa (Region 7); Assistant RDs Neil C. Farala (Region 4-B), Annie S. Dela Vega (Region 5) and DEs Ruel V. Umali (Metro Manila 3rd District Engineering Office (DEO) and Manny B. Bulusan (South Manila DEO).
Tan is the husband of Quezon province Gov. Helen Tan.
“We are officially relieving today for various reasons specifically because there are ongoing investigations here, which I cannot fully disclose to you, but suffice it to say we are investigating a lot of people in the department,” Dizon said.
“This is the initial batch of officials that have been relieved,” he added.
Three local officials have also been relieved for not meeting the qualifications by the Civil Service Commission, namely officer-in-charge District Engineers (DEs) Sherylann Gonzales (La Union 1st DEO), Roy Pacanan (Iloilo City DEO) and Peter Scheller Soco (Leyte 4th DEO).
Dizon said he will release new merit requirements for all DPWH officials in the coming weeks.
“We are going to be very, very strict. “We will have stronger, stricter requirements and qualifications for our officials,” he said.
Last year, Dizon also ordered the relief of former Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) officials Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez as well as other local officials who were tagged in questionable flood control projects in the province.
Dizon also named Undersecretary Rico Bernabe as the department’s official spokesperson for legal matters, a move aimed at centralizing responses as the agency faces multiple investigations.
The DPWH chief said the designation is intended to ensure consistency, clarity, and accountability in handling legal issues, particularly amid ongoing internal and external probes involving the agency.
Before joining the DPWH, Bernabe served as a commissioner of the National Police Commission.
Meanwhile, Dizon said he would testify in the Sandiganbayan trial of the flood control case against former lawmaker Zaldy Co set on Jan. 20.
“I don’t know the rules of the Sandiganbayan, if it (trial) is open. I’m just announcing to you that I will testify in the case in Oriental Mindoro of former Cong. Zaldy Co,” he said.
“We will give you updates on my sworn testimony in that case. Since I am the complainant in many of these cases, you will see me testifying in many cases in the coming weeks, months, it is part of the process of holding those who should be held accountable,” Dizon added.
