Latest reports indicate that DPWH Catanduanes District Engineer Edy Ferdinand Joven, who went on 15-day leave for medical reasons, is not coming back to the island.
A reliable source told the Tribune that he has instructed staff at his office to pack up his things last Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, the same day that he snubbed the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for the second time.
Handpicked by the powerful handler of Congressman Eulogio Rodriguez, Joven reported for duty in August last year after being sacked from his post at the Camarines Sur 1st District Engineering Office upon request of the congressman there.
If he indeed departs for a “floating” status at the regional office just like his predecessor, his six-month stint here will be one of the shortest ever in the history of the Catanduanes DPWH.
But the huge mess that he leaves behind will linger long after he is gone: the transfer to the regional office of P2.1 billion in funding for infrastructure projects supposed to be implemented by the Catanduanes DEO, depriving the people of Catanduanes the economic benefits from taxes to employment.
Also, to a lesser extent, Joven exposed himself and his immediate superior to possible legal backlash from the memorandum he issued, with the approval of DPWH Regional Director Virgilio Eduarte, ordering the chief of the Materials & Quality Assurance Section to report to the mother unit at the regional office “in the exigency of the service and due to voluminous projects for implementation.”
It is suspected that the DE did not draw up the vague memo, which was probably drafted by a politician’s factotum at the Catanduanes DEO who is unaware of the protocol and rules governing the detail or reassignment of government personnel.
His decision to snub the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for a second time most likely forced the provincial board led by Vice Governor Peter Cua to consider approving a motion by PBM Edwin Tanael to declare DE Joven and RD Eduarte as persona non-grata in the province of Catanduanes.
But he is likely to shrug off any declaration, as it only means that one is “not acceptable” in the territory of the declaring entity and does not bar him from entry, more so that he is already preparing to leave his post.
Which leaves the SP with just one option: to invite RD Eduarte to shed light on the controversial transfer of the P2.1 billion funding that fattened the regional office’s infrastructure budget to a humongous P28 billion.
To tickle the imagination of conspiracy theorists, just a mere 5 percent of the total funding comes up to P1.4 billion.
And 10 percent of the P2.1 billion “parked” for trouble-free bidding at the DPWH regional office is a most welcome P210 million addition to a congressman’s deep pockets and more than enough reimbursement for the P1,000 per voter election expense.
In this period of rampant inflation and P750 per kilo onions, this prospective financial windfall for DPWH regional officials and their politician bosses should embolden the SP to call on RD Eduarte to explain why he (not only DE Joven who many believe is only a dummy) sought the transfer of the P2.1-billion infra fund.
In the event that RD Eduarte also ignores the SP invitation, the honorable members of the provincial board can always launch investigations in aid of legislation into reported anomalies in any project implemented in Catanduanes by the DPWH regional office.
And the Capitol can always encourage non-government organizations and even residents of barangays to actively monitor the DPWH projects and report in real time, thanks to social media, whatever irregularity they see in the projects.
This is not pure politics, as they would just be exercising their right as taxpayers.