MANILA — Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan said he will not resign on his own amid the controversy over alleged “ghost” flood control projects, stressing that it is up to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to decide whether he should step aside while investigations are ongoing.
“I leave it to the kwan (prerogative) of the President po,” Bonoan said in an interview with GMA 7’s Unang Balita on Wednesday morning.
Bonoan underscored that his mandate goes beyond the questioned projects, noting the DPWH is handling numerous other major undertakings.
“I think ang delicadeza naman po dito is actually hindi lang naman po flood control project ang aking sinusulong dito sa DPWH. Napakarami po ‘yung other big projects that would warrant my kwan po ngayon dito. As I said, I leave it to the President po kung anong desisyon po nila,” he added.
The DPWH chief confirmed that officials linked to questionable projects have already been relieved from their posts.
“Actually dito po sa nagkaroon ng ganitong information, tinanggal ko lahat muna ang mga opisyales dyan sa district engineering office na ‘yan. Under the custody na po muna ng regional office, at regional office na po nagpapatakbo sa district office na ‘yan,” he said.
During Tuesday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Bonoan admitted the department is investigating ghost projects in Bulacan, revealing that some DPWH personnel may have colluded with contractors.
The secretary assured that legal action will follow once the probe is complete.
“As soon as we are able to fully document actually everything at saka yung nakumpleto na po yung imbestigasyon, then I think kapag napatunayan po na ganito, then we will file all the corresponding cases kahit na sino ang involve po dyan,” Bonoan said./PN
