By Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said 20 officials and employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways Cebu 3rd District Engineering Office (DEO) have been named in criminal complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Cebu District Office over alleged irregularities in two flood control projects.
Charges include illegal use of public funds and property, malversation of public funds, perjury, falsification of public documents, and violation of procurement law.
In a press briefing, DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said the flood control projects are located in Barangay Singsing in Balamban.
Balamban, with a population of about 100,000, is known as the country’s shipbuilding capital.
“The department wishes to stress that these are complaints for purposes of preliminary investigation at this stage. Preliminary investigation only. So, no conclusive finding has been made yet,” Martinez said.
Martinez said the respondents will be given the opportunity to submit a counter-affidavit and “controvert evidence against him or her before the Department of Justice resolves the complaints.”
He said the complaints form part of the broader inquiry into flood control-related anomalies.
“Should further complaints be filed, whether by the NBI or any law enforcement agency, this office will evaluate them under applicable rules and procedures,” he said. (PNA)
