THE regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 11) said it will conduct its own investigation into the complaints of the Tagum Agricultural Development Company Inc. (Tadeco) on the alleged illegal dismantling of the latter's quarantine facility by the Davao del Norte District Engineering Office.
"As a matter of policy, we will conduct an investigation on the issue, including the alleged demolition of private property by our personnel," Dean Ortiz, DPWH 11 chief information officer, said Friday, March 9.
He clarified that the regional office has no hand in the move of their personnel in Davao del Norte.
"The actions of the Davao del Norte District Engineering Office during the multi-agency road inventory at the Tadeco plantation was not sanctioned by the department," he said.
"We have learned that the directive came directly from Congressman Johnny Ty Pimentel, chairperson of the House committee on good governance and public accountability, instructing the district engineer concerned to conduct an inventory of roads and other infra projects within the said plantation. The directive arose from the ongoing House probe on Tadeco," Ortiz added.
Tadeco, a banana company, is planning to file charges against some of the personnel of the DPWH District Engineering Office of Davao del Norte led by Noel C. Basañes and Edwin Jubahib, who allegedly illegally dismantled the plant's swing beam installed at the entrance to the farm road in Tanglaw, BraulioDujali, Davao del Norte.
Although there was prior communication between the company and the District Engineering Office, Ortiz said they knew only about an inspection survey and inventory of public roads and infrastructure projects of the Davao Penal Colony (Dapecol) in the different barangays and municipalities in Davao del Norte.
The inspection survey and inventory results were supposed to be submitted to the committee on good governance and public accountability which is conducting an investigation into the Tadeco deal.
Tadeco said it received reports that the team from the District Engineering Office started dismantling its facility without proper coordination from their office.