DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon denied allegations that the ongoing flood control projects probe is solely targeting Davao City.
Speaking with reporters during his September 28 visit to a riverside community in Davao City, Sec. Dizon said the probe follows the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos to investigate anomalous flood control projects where the evidence would lead them.
“Ang sabi ng Pangulo, kung saan ang ebidensya, doon tayo pupunta. Kahit nasaan yan, kahit sino pa yan. Nakita niyo naman na ang sariling pinsan ng Pangulo ngayon ay nakakulong na, so klarong-klaro ang direktiba ng Pangulo,” Dizon said.
(The President said, where the evidence is, they will go there. Wherever, whoever. You would see that even the cousin of the President is in jail; the President’s directive is very clear.)
The DPWH chief said that, in the interest of fairness, these investigations in different places undergo the process, whether it is in Taguig, Davao, Iloilo, Cebu, or Bulacan.
Dizon said they will investigate any reports coming from different places. He quoted Ombudsman Crispin Remulla saying there are almost 200 investigations conducted all over the country, not just in Davao City.
“So hindi niyo puwedeng sabihin nakatutok sa lugar na ito. Iba-iba yan (You cannot say that we are focused on this area; there are many different cases),” Dizon said during an impromptu press conference held at Bangkal, Davao City.
“Kahit saan may mag-report sa amin, mag-oopen tayo ng investigation (Wherever a report is submitted to us, we open an investigation),” he added.
Meanwhile, during his inspection of the flood control improvements at the Taal Bailey Bridge section of the Talomo River, Sec. Dizon criticized previous officials for constructing deficient river defenses, which caused the community to be severely affected by the July 24 flash flood.
“Hindi ko alam bakit hindi ito tinuloy-tuloy noon; itanong na lang natin sa dating andito (I do not know why they didn’t continue it; let us just ask the former officials here),” Dizon said. During his earlier inspection on July 28, he noticed that a section of the dike was higher than the section protecting the community. The residents protected by the higher dike were not substantially affected by the flash flood.
The DPWH put up a 109-meter-long, three-meter-high gabion wall dike along with dredging activities to protect the community from future flash floods. PIA DAVAO
