Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon testified Wednesday before the Sandiganbayan 5th Division in the graft case against former lawmaker Zaldy Co and other accused over an allegedly substandard flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Dizon took the witness stand in connection with allegations that only 3-meter steel sheet piles were used in the project instead of the 12 meters specified in the project documents.
According to a report by RH Val Gonzales, Dizon said Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito “Bonz” Atienza Dolor personally relayed information to him about the alleged irregularities.
He later visited the project site himself and said he saw portions of the structure that had already collapsed following rainfall. He also confirmed that 3-meter sheet piles had been used.
“I just verified yung information na yung sheet piles ay tatlong metro lang imbis na labingdalawa. Yun naman talaga ang rason kung bakit nakampante tayo na substandard talaga yung ginawa ng Sunwest Corporation,” Dizon told the court.
Dizon said the damage he saw at the site further showed the alleged weakness of the project’s foundation.
“Sinabi ko rin sa korte na pagdating ko doon nakita ko mismo meron na nga mga area doon na gumuho na. Isang ulan pa lang gumuho na. Ang pagka talaga substandard yung pundasyon talagang yun ang mangyayari,” he said.
“Para sa akin klarong-klaro yung ebidensya sa kasong ito,” Dizon added.
Dizon also testified that insurance would not cover the project if an investigation establishes that fraud was committed during its construction.
He said the documents signed by Sunwest Corp. and its project engineers clearly specified that 12-meter steel sheet piles were required.
“Kung ay fraud at sinabi nila 12 meters pero ang nangyari 3 lang, walang magbabayad na insurance dyan, kasi may fraud. May pandaraya na nangyari,” Dizon said.
The testimony forms part of the proceedings in the graft case involving Co and other accused persons over the Naujan flood control project.
