The politically motivated rigodon at the DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office continues, with one of the two newly appointed officers-in-charge allegedly a nephew of Regional Director Virgilio Eduarte.
With former DE Edy Ferdinand Joven deciding not to report any more to the island province, a certain Engr. Denis C. Cagomoc has been designated as Catanduanes officer-in-charge effective March 1, 2023.
Special Order No. 48 issued by Secretary Manuel Bonoan states that Cagomoc’s designation in place of the reassigned Engr. Joven is made “in the interest of the service” and pursuant to the provisions of Sections 6 and 37 of Executive Order No. 124 dated Jan. 30, 1987.
“Upon and by virtue of this Order, Engr. Cagomoc is directed to perform the duties and assume the responsibilities appurtenant to the position of District Engineer,” it added.
The camp of Congressman Eulogio Rodriguez allegedly sought the replacement of Joven, whom it asked to take over Catanduanes DEO following the ouster of then DE Gil Augustus Balmadrid last year.
The solon reportedly complained to the secretary that Joven has not reported for work at his San Isidro Village office for three weeks.
Two days later, on Mar. 3, Sec. Bonoan issued Special Order No. 50, designating Engr. Maximo C. Eleda as officer-in-charge of the office of the Assistant District Engineer of the Catanduanes DEO, replacing Engr. Noland Claro B. Guerrero.
The twin orders come just days after the DPWH regional office secured permission from the central office regarding the bidding and implementation of 32 infrastructure projects worth a total of P1.2 billion.
The transfer of the funding and implementation of the projects was allegedly requested by DE Joven supposedly to fast-track procurement and project implementation.
DPWH insiders and local contractors claim that the move was intended to benefit contractors identified with Cong. Rodriguez as they lost most of the projects already bid out by the Catanduanes DEO in competitive public bidding.
Among the transferred projects are: Construction of Flood Mitigation Structure in Batong Paloway, San Andres (P120 million); Construction of Catanduanes People’s Center in Virac (P50 million); Construction of Multi-Purpose Building at the Provincial Capitol (P100 million); Construction of Access Road leading to Virac Airport (P105 million); Construction of Access Road leading to seaport at Imelda Boulevard (P108 million); Construction of Solar Water System Level II in Virac (P80 million); Construction of Caramoran Poblacion Bypass Road (P60 million); Construction of Sea Wall at Comagaycay, San Andres (P50 million); Road Widening (P40 million); Construction of Sea Wall at Batalay, Bato (P30 million); and two road rehabilitation projects costing P105 million each.
The Rodriguez camp reportedly wants the multi-purpose building at the Provincial Capitol transferred to Bato town.
Following the Tribune story on the transfer of the projects, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan invited DE Joven to shed light on the issue but he went on 15-day leave allegedly for medical reasons.
A week later, his driver returned the DE’s service vehicle to Catanduanes DEO with the instructions to district staff to pack up Joven’s things at his office.
His replacement, Cagumoc, is allegedly a nephew of RD Eduarte from Samar province. Prior to his Catanduanes assignment, he has been on floating status at the Bicol DPWH where he was brought by RD Eduarte after getting pushed out as DE in Samar.
On the other hand, Eleda’s replacement as OIC-Assistant DE at Camarines Dur 1st District DEO is one Simon Arias Jr. from Albay, another Eduarte boy who once headed the regional office’s Technical Working Group of the BAC.
Another Eduarte nephew has been designated as OIC-district engineer at the same office where Joven was DE before he was removed allegedly upon request of the winning congressman in the district.
DPWH Catanduanes insiders say that instead of bringing in an outside, RD Eduarte could have recommended one of the several local DEO personnel who hold the same rank of Engineer III as Eleda.
It may be recalled that two weeks earlier, RD Eduarte and DE Joven issued a memorandum to the chief of the Catanduanes DEO’s Materials & Quality Assurance Section requesting him to report to the regional office “in the exigency of the service and due to voluminous projects for implementation.”
The targeted official, Engineer III Pedro Ceferino Guerrero, refused to receive the memo and fired back at his boss with a memo of his own, citing the Joven issuance as vague and difficult to understand.
He has filed an appeal with the Civil Service Commission regional office regarding the reassignment memo.