The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started administrative proceedings against several of its officials, including Central Visayas Director Danilo Villa Jr., for alleged corruption in flood control projects.
The move follows a public commitment by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to file cases against those who contributed to the devastation caused by typhoon Tino in Cebu.
Last December, Dizon promised that criminal and administrative cases would be filed “within the first few months of 2026” against people from DPWH, contractors and other government officials for neglect, incompetence and corrupt acts in the implementation of projects meant to protect Cebuanos from flash floods.
He said then that if upstream projects had been properly implemented, the devastation caused by flash floods during and after the heavy rainfall brought by typhoon Tino on Nov. 4, 2025, “could have been mitigated.”
Villa was one of eight DPWH officials relieved of their positions. In a Jan. 12 press conference, Dizon said they were removed for “various reasons, specifically because there are ongoing investigations here, which I cannot fully disclose.” Villa had been named in earlier reports for allegedly living a “lavish lifestyle” amid investigations into corruption tied to flood mitigation projects. He has yet to issue any public statement.
Relieving officials and filing administrative cases are necessary, but they do not answer the public’s call for accountability. Who will be held criminally responsible for the loss of life? The administrative action may restore bureaucratic order within DPWH, but it is criminal accountability that restores public trust. This is important in a country where decades of abuse and corruption have steadily eroded confidence in institutions and in justice itself.
Then there is Villa’s lack of response to allegations of corruption and of having a “lavish lifestyle.” His silence reflects a culture in which government officials under investigation often wait for the public to forget and the issue to die down, rather than answer to the people.
An administrative case cannot be a proportionate response to the 150 lives lost and the 265,153 houses damaged during typhoon Tino. Against these figures, administrative action feels disproportionately small, unless there are prosecutions, restitution and systemic reform.
Dizon also said during the Jan. 12 press conference that the relief of officials was part of “intensified efforts to address anomalies and enhance accountability in DPWH operations.” If that is so, then the public should expect more than symbolic action. Worth watching next is whether criminal cases will be filed and against whom and if contractors will be named, not just DPWH officials.
In addition, to encourage transparency and citizen involvement, Dizon’s next steps must include making project audits public to allow civic organizations, professionals, and affected communities to participate in monitoring public works. How open that process will be and how much scrutiny it will tolerate will be another test for Dizon.
Administrative action is a start. But justice demands accountability and consequences proportionate to the harm done.