Controversial engineer gets promotion
ROXAS CITY – The controversial OIC of the Capiz 2nd Engineering District who was recently declared “persona non grata” by the Sangguniang Panglungsod for ignoring their invitation has been promoted as a full-fledged district engineer, a reliable source told The News Today.
The SP has sent several invitations for Engr. Nilo Gavia to appear in their session to shed light on the allegations of Mr. Gene Divino but Gavia failed to honor the invitation.
The same source also told TNT that four engineers who were earlier sued by Mr. Divino were also promoted one rank higher by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office. They are Engrs. Hector Gargoles, Buenric Tolentino, Emil Recio, and Ramonito Lozada.
Months ago, Gavia promised the SP that he will furnish them a copy of program of works of all projects of the 2nd district and will lead the board members to conduct “quality test” on the alleged substandard road projects in Capiz to disprove the allegation of Mr. Divino.
To recall, Divino accused the 2nd engineering district that the P100 million Central Line National Highway Project or roll-on, roll-off project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was sub-standard.
Divino also urged the SP to investigate transactions at the Capiz Second Engineering District and made the following allegations:
Only one contractor, Kirskat Ventures Construction, gets all the projects; Contracts, particularly “pakyaw,” are prepared not at the DPWH 2nd Engineering District Office in Dumalag town but inside the office of Kirskat Ventures in Roxas City; and other subcontractors are involved in “paper,” but some do not have offices and track record in the construction business.
However, Gargoles then strongly denied that Kirskat Venture Construction monopolized the projects adding that some 8 construction firms also have projects in the second districts.
Gargoles said that there was no such “pakyaw” contract prepared at the Kirskat Venture in Roxas City nor subcontractors who are involved in “paper” in the projects.
On his part, Gavia said all the road projects in Capiz are of good quality and assured that all projects in the second district all met the standard prescribed by the DPWH.
Divino also sued 4 engineers of the 2nd district engineering district of Capiz before the Ombudsman in the Visayas.
However, an engineer told The News Today (TNT) on condition of anonymity that Divino, who is now under the care of a politician, sued engineers to destroy the image of 2nd District Cong. Fredenil Castro. Castro’s wife, Jane, is running for congresswoman for the said district in the 2010 election.