Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong is poised to file a complaint against several officials of the Baguio City District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways for alleged violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The mayor had his affidavit-complaint subscribed under oath before the City Prosecutor’s Office last July 1 preparatory to filing before the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City.
The complaint directed against eight officials and employees of the BCDEO pertains to a sidewalk project along Bonifacio Street alleged to be substandard. It will be for violation of section 3 of paragraph G of RA 3019.
“Basically ‘yung content ng complaint is entering into a contract which is disadvantageous to the government at marami pa kaming ipa-file laban sa BCDEO since marami kaming nadi-discover na projects na substandard and defective,” Magalong said.
The mayor said he is saddened that despite a series of meetings and warnings given to the district office, “Ganun pa rin, very consistent sila sa substandard projects.”
He said he wants this to be a test case on a government office filing such complaint against another government office to show that the local government unit is serious in putting a stop to corruption.
He added they are also preparing evidences for the filing of more complaints relative to other projects including buildings of the Department of Education, which he also deemed as substandard.
“Nagpadala na nga ang DPWH ng tao nila dito para talagang sila na ang mag-inspect sa mga projects at nakita naman talaga nila na substandard and defective kaya lang after eight months wala parin kaming nakitang concrete action and we can no longer tolerate such corruption so we will now be initiating the filing of cases”, the mayor said. – Jessa P. Samidan
