ILOILO — The spotlight is now firmly on Western Visayas’ public works officials as Malacañang’s anti-graft campaign moves into high gear with lifestyle checks on Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel.
Regional Director Joel Limpengco and Iloilo 4th District Engineer Mario Soriano confirmed they are ready to submit to scrutiny — while at the same time bracing for a probe into flood control projects.
“When it comes to the lifestyle check protocols, we always adhere to any directives issued by the central office, including those from the Secretary. If there are specific key instructions that come down from higher authorities, please rest assured that the regional office fully complies without any objections,” Limpengco told Panay News.
“We understand the importance of these checks in maintaining integrity and accountability within our operations,” he added, stressing the audits are critical to exposing officials living beyond their means.
Soriano admitted no local directive has yet been issued but said he is prepared to comply once guidelines are clear.
“I heard about the President’s announcement regarding lifestyle checks, but at this moment, I am unsure how it will be implemented or who will be responsible for overseeing it. … So far, we have not received any official notice about it, but we will comply if it proves necessary,” he said.
Flood projects under scrutiny
Amid mounting questions over DPWH’s multi-million flood control projects, both officials pledged support for a full-blown review.
“If we observe any anomalies or irregularities during the investigation process, we see no reason not to support a thorough investigation or probing,” Limpengco emphasized.
Soriano said his office has readied documents covering 14 flood control projects from 2022, already posted on their website.
“We are not hiding any projects; in fact, we are prepared for any investigation or audit to clarify, validate, and assess the existence and implementation of those projects. We are confident in saying that these projects are indeed existing,” he assured.
He added that media were even invited to inspect project sites first-hand, citing a September 2 visit in San Miguel.
“I personally took the initiative to request that the media visit the project site with our personnel, allowing them the opportunity to visually and personally verify whether the projects are genuine or possibly non-existent,” he said.
Courtesy resignations filed
Limpengco and Soriano confirmed that all district engineers in the region have submitted courtesy resignations in line with DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon’s directive.
“We have already submitted our resignations,” Limpengco said.
“Actually, on Monday (September 1), after the Secretary made the announcement, Regional Director Joel Limpengco directed us to submit our courtesy resignations. I submitted mine to our regional office on the same day,” Soriano added.
Despite the scrutiny, Soriano vowed their mandate continues.
“We must continue to perform our duties with integrity and dedication. While we await the results of any inquiries, our commitment to serving the country remains unwavering,” he said./PN
