Monday, July 28, 2008 DPWH regional chief's rep smeared in letter By Rimaliza Opiña
A GROUP of contractors from Baguio, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao are pushing for the conduct of an investigation of Engineer Mariano Alquiza, director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Cordillera.
Alquiza said the allegations contained in an open letter addressed to DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane are a demolition job and a "direct assault to his personality."
He is ready to answer allegations but authors of the letter should identify themselves first and file before the courts or any administrative body their complaints against him.
He also asked for media to be discerning in coming up with reports which are not signed, for while he may deny the allegations, the public may judge him on accusations made by people hiding behind anonymity.
Abe de Castro, officer-in-charge of Contractors Against Corruption (Contraco) denied his group's involvement in the circulation of the letter, which was also sent to the offices of Cordillera congressmen.
He declined to comment further because he is related by affinity to Juniper Dominguez and the late Mountain Province Representative Victor Dominguez, the personalities mentioned in the letter as being involved in the multi-billion Halsema highway rehabilitation project.
Ruben Pimentel, acting president of the United Baguio-Benguet Contractors Association, also denied the letter came from his group.
Although his group does not directly deal with Alquiza, because they handle mostly projects in Baguio, which are under the supervision of the Baguio District Engineering Office (BCDEO), Pimentel said the allegations must be proven and the complaint signed.
Authors of the letter said they could not sign and make a formal complaint for fear ongoing transactions with the agency will be jeopardized.
"There is nothing to be afraid of, if it is true," Pimentel said.
Among the allegations contained in the letter are Alquiza's alleged demands for shares in infrastructure projects, solicitations for some occasions at the DPWH, as well as to defray expenses for his processing of his application for a higher position at the DPWH, and favoring certain contractors belonging to his fraternity the Alpha Phi Omega (APO).
Alquiza denied all these. He said he has a suspect on who authored the letter but declined to name the person until he has confirmed it.
He, however, lamented the circulation of such letters results in demoralization of personnel at the agency. Alquiza said such "pressure" is one reason why only a few directors assigned at the DPWH-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) last long.
He said good projects he has done have been tainted because of these accusations.
Alquiza, however, is confident his bosses at the DPWH central office and Cordillera congressmen will support him and will not give in to what he said are unsubstantiated claims.
