CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Department of Public Works and Highways has denied allegations of “ghost infrastructure projects” in Candaba, Pampanga.
This, in the wake of allegations made by former three-term Candaba mayor Jerry Pelayo in a video posted in his Facebook page on Aug. 26.
Pelayo who also once served as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Pampanga Chapter and is currently the provincial administrator of Laguna, named multiple slope protection and dike projects funded over the last seven years that, he noted, bore “strikingly similar costs” despite being implemented in different barangays.
Among the biggest contracts he cited were: Construction of slope protection, Malisik–Barangka – ₱144,750,000; Construction of slope protection, Malisik–Mapaniqui – ₱144,750,000; Construction of slope protection, Malisik–Salapungan – ₱144,750,000; Construction of slope protection, Malisik (various sites) – ₱168,393,000; and Construction of dike in Visal San Pablo – ₱68,321,000 (with a second contract at ₱68,394,000)
“These are twins, triplets, quadruplets. The same amounts, the same works, only different names,” Pelayo said in post.
The former mayor also lamented the concentration of construction at Malisik, citing the area is practically uninhabited: “Di bale sana kung may pinoprotektahan na mga bahay na masisira. E, daanan ng tubig talaga ang Malisik.”
He recalled that during his term, a channeling project in Malisig was completed by the municipality using only bulldozers at a fraction of the cost. “So, why spend billions now when no houses are at risk?”
Legitimate contracts
“Wala pong ghost projects sa Candaba o sa buong Pampanga 1st DEO [District Engineering Office]. Wala po,” said Engr. Danny Canlas, chief of the construction division, belying Pelayo’s allegations.
He explained that the projects the former mayor cited all underwent the proper process, including project identification and preliminary engineering works, stressing that the office strictly observes due process in the conduct of bidding and the awarding of contracts to the winning bidder.
“Dito po sa amin, may due process kapag kinokontrata ang project. May due process kaming sinusundan at hanggang doon lang po kami,” he said in a media interview.
Addressing Pelayo’s criticism of the construction of flood control projects along the Malisik River, Canlas said: “Marami pong pinoproteksyunan ang project doon. Kahit po kokonti ang mga nakatira doon, mahalaga pa rin po ang buhay at mga properties nila. Kapag buhay ang pinag-uusapan, lahat po importante.”
Even as Pelayo challenged sitting Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque to prove he had nothing to hide by joining him in filing cases against the DPWH over his allegations, Canlas stressed that the local municipal government played no role in the construction itself but only assisted in identifying previously damaged dikes that needed prioritization.
The DPWH also confirmed that any damaged portions of the flood control structures will be repaired by the Sto. Cristo Construction Company, the contractor involved.
Canlas said the DPWH Pampanga 1st DEO welcomes any investigation or audit of the projects they have undertaken, assuring the public that “Dito po sa Pampanga 1st DEO, wala po kami ghost projects na nagawa o ginagawa. Kahit ano pong gusto nilang itanong o malaman, pwede po dahil wala kaming problema dito.”
“We remain committed to transparency and accountability in all our projects,” Canlas said.
Punto News Team
