1st Engineering District chief deny Ombudsman raps
ROXAS CITY – The chief of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1st Engineering District is now facing charges before the Ombudsman - Visayas for alleged wrongdoings and corrupt practices.
DPWH 1st Engineering District chief Engr. Manuel Bayani R. Bukas, however, strongly denied the allegations against him.
First issue raised in the Ombudsman complaint is on the alleged intentional withdrawal by Engr. Cerilo Beldia, a member of the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat of the DPWH, of undetermined number of assorted good lumber from the DPWH Capiz 1st engineering district compound without proper documents presented at the gate. The said act was put into the blotter record by the guard on-duty. Bukas took the risk of assuming responsibility for Beldia's alleged illegal act which is presumed by complainants as an administrative violation and a corrupt practice by a government official.
Second, 33 out of 41 employees filed their complaint with the Rank and File Association (RFEA) against Engr. Bukas for his refusal to release their Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) benefits.
Third, a separate complaint will be filed also by some employees to the RFEA because of the refusal of Engr. Bukas to release their clothing allowance.
Fourth, complainants alleged that several contractors and suppliers have complained that Engr. Bukas had been asking from 5% to 10% “SOP” for his personal consumption.
Engr. Bukas clarified that it is not true that the lumber withdrawn by Beldia was good lumber but were “used” lumber. He said that he allowed it to be withdrawn since he preferred to give it to the employees for their personal use rather than let it rot in their compound.
As to the CNA, he said that he already asked the funds from the national and regional office but there is no available fund yet. He said such benefit is subject to the availability of funds.
According to him, the clothing allowance funds is intact but they are still waiting for the specification, color and design of uniforms from the central office. He also denied asking “SOP” from the contractors and suppliers.
“I think that my detractors on that issues are corrupt than me,” Bukas said adding that all the previous cases filed against him in the Ombudsman were dismissed.