DPWH probing at least 10 cases of irregularities in projects

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is investigating up to 10 cases of alleged irregularities in its projects, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim of corruption in the agency.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said Thursday that the task force he had created to investigate anomalies in the department’s projects will be issuing show-cause orders to the parties involved in the cases.

“At this point there are certain, maybe procedural [issues]. There are some procedures that were not necessarily followed and there are some accusations. I don’t want to specify until we’ve really looked into it, but definitely there are cases that we are looking at,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

“We are looking at up to 10 cases. Right now we are looking at around up to 10 cases simultaneously. We are really focusing on this. It is a challenge and we are really gonna work hard to fulfill the mandate of the President,” he added.

Villar assured that the DPWH will also hold contractors accountable for anomalous projects. He added that so far, around 25 contractors have been blacklisted as part of the agency’s anti-corruption drive.

Villar earlier ordered the creation of a task force within the DPWH to investigate alleged irregularities in the department. The DPWH task force against graft and corruption will probe “anomalies in the agency based on valid complaints.”

Duterte also earlier tasked a Department of Justice-led task force to focus on investigating alleged corruption in the DPWH.

/MUF