At least 14 district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways have been “relieved” due to alleged involvement in corruption, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.
The relieved engineers were reportedly among the government officials named by President Rodrigo Duterte who connived with some lawmakers in corrupt practices.
Villar told reporters he had also sought the help of other government agencies to build cases against erring Public Works personnel.
“Actually, those who were named by the President were already relieved,” Villar said.
He said a reorganization would soon be implemented within his department.
Earlier, Duterte ordered Public Works district engineers involved in corrupt practices allegedly identified by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to resign.
Villar said they were conducting investigations on the other complaints filed against corrupt Public Works engineers, adding its efforts to cleanse the department’s ranks was not yet over.
In late December, the President revealed the names of lawmakers who have been linked to alleged corruption related to infrastructure projects.
In a televised briefing, Duterte also relieved from their posts DPWH district engineers who are involved in the alleged corruption.
In late October, Duterte issued a memorandum directing the Department of Justice to look into anomalies in state agencies until the end of his term in 2022.
The memo gave the DOJ the power to decide what allegations to investigate and to work with other agencies.
Previously, Quezon Rep. Helen Tan defended her husband, a regional director of the DPWH, from allegations of graft and corruption and partisanship, saying these had no basis.