By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Crimes and Corruption Watch International, Inc. (CCWI) Founding Chairman Dr. Carlo Magno Batalla on Wednesday (May 21) divulged that they have just filed today graft and corruption charges against DPWH Region 6 (Western Visayas) officials.
In a press conference in Max’s Quezon Memorial Circle, Dr. Batalla said that they charged the officials of the DPWH Region 6 for the alleged rigged biddings and awards to favored contractor amounting to PhP2.4 billion before the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman).
Dr. Batalla said “it’s now the time to file charges against corrupt government officials, especially the DPWH officials.”
Dr. Batalla stressed “in 2024, Region 6 DPWH awarded projects amounting PhP9,258,597,000 out of this, awarded to the IBC Builders (IBC) were projects worth PhP2.4 billion plus.”
He said that if there are two projects where the delay in the construction of the project is 10%, a contractor cannot be awarded a project again, adding that, despite the delays in the completion of the projects by the IBC, they were still awarded projects.
According to the law, if the performance of the contractors is not satisfactory, they are not anymore qualified to engage in another project. They should have complete equipment and engineers.
Dr. Batalla said that the DPWH has a website where the status of the ongoing projects are posted, but you still have to write them as provided for by the FOI (Freedom of Information).
“We are all experts here in terms of monitoring the system in government. We are confident that we have an airtight case against the respondents,” Dr. Batalla said.
He stressed that the contractors should have complied with the provisions of the contract.
He noted that projects worth P9 billion plus was awarded by the DPWH Region 6.
As a former Provincial Board Member of Camarines Sur, Dr. Batalla noted that they have filed plunder charges before but to no avail.
He stressed that he has filed graft and corruption charges against Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte amounting to PhP20 million for gasoline for 500,000 liters of gasoline, but the winning gasoline station has a capacity of only 60,000 liters. The Sandiganbayan dismissed the criminal case against Gov. Villafuerte but was found guilty administratively.
Dr. Batalla said “it’s easier to secure a conviction for graft and corruption charges than for plunder charges as the latter has to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.”
He cited that the CCWI has charged the BSP which resulted in the stoppage of the printing of the National ID, wherein the picture is easily erasable and no signature on it and the banks do not honor such an ID.
He noted that the CCWI won the case against the BSP and the All Card. A motion for reconsideration is now pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was the author of the National ID Law.
Dr. Batalla stressed that they had asked that the National ID should be invalidated for substandard printing, and the delay in the delivery of the 48 million National IDs and only 28 million were delivered, and it turned out to be a “blessing in disguise”.
He pointed out that included in their complaint before the Ombudsman against the DPWH Western Visayas was the prayer for the imposition of a six-month preventive suspension without pay against the respondents.
Dr. Batalla is the Chairman of the Dr. Carlo Batalla Cares, which has 2 million followers in the social media, and has already distributed 150,000 wheelchairs nationwide.
Millicent V. Ang Espina, Deputy Executive Director of CCWI, named the respondents as Sonny Boy Orofel, and Helen Tan (not the Quezon governor), among others.
Margaretta B. Fernandez, Executive Director of CCWI, said that aside from the DPWH, they are also monitoring the DSWD, and other government offices and agencies.
Atty. Al Vitangcol said that in the case of the National ID, the CCWI filed a petition before the Quezon City RTC seeking to terminate the contract between the BSP and the All Card.
The Quezon City RTC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) saying that the BSP has neither right to terminate the contract with the All Card nor authority to extract liquidated damages from the same.
The raffle of the case is now pending before the Quezon City RTC.
Dr. Batalla noted that from the PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority), the printing of the National ID was transferred to the BSP, which prompted the CCWI to file the case against the BSP and the All Card.
He expounded that the charges they filed against the DPWH Region 6 and the Members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) are complete with pieces of evidence to pin them down.
Atty. Eugene M. Alfaras said “once you commit something illegal, you will be held administratively and criminally liable.”
“It’s good that there is a group (CCWI) now that is focused on stopping such nefarious activities,” Atty. Alfaras added. ###
