A graft complaint has been filed against seven officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 in Cebu. The Crimes and Corruption Watch International Inc. (CCWI) claims these officials engaged in procurement violations that compromised public funds.
Allegations of Procurement Violations
The complaint was submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas by CCWI Chairman Carlo Batalla. It specifically targets OIC Director Simon Arias and members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for awarding contracts to firms with questionable track records.
We filed this case to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity in public procurement.
Carlo Batalla, Chairman, CCWI
- Emergency contracts awarded to contractors with negative project slippages.
- A P192.598 million contract awarded despite ongoing investigations into the contractors.
The complaint highlights that several contracts were granted under emergency procurement rules to companies like QM Builders, despite their inclusion in a government list of contractors under investigation for flood control project irregularities.
Batalla emphasized concerns about the integrity of the post-qualification process and contractor evaluations conducted by the BAC. He expressed doubts over whether proper due diligence was performed before these contracts were awarded.
Moreover, the response from Arias to CCWI's inquiries raised eyebrows. Instead of addressing specific questions regarding the controversial contracts, Arias merely acknowledged the importance of transparency, which Batalla found unsatisfactory.
The timing of Arias' response also raised questions. The letter was dated May 26 but bore a receiving stamp of June 23, indicating a possible delay or alteration in its transmission.
The complaint cites violations of several laws, including the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Government Procurement Reform Act, indicating a potential systemic issue within the procurement processes of DPWH.
As of now, the DPWH 7 office has not issued an official statement regarding the allegations.