Private-sector connections of government officials are not inherently improper, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said Monday.
Dizon made the remark following the voluntary resignation of former DPWH Undersecretary Arrey Perez, who was named by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste in connection with the alleged ties to private contractors.
Dizon noted that Perez, before his DPWH post as undersecretary for convergence projects and technical services, worked at the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) of the MVP Group.
‘So that’s his link,’ Dizon said in a radio dzMM interview. ‘But it doesn’t mean that having a link makes you corrupt, asking for bribes, or doing something illegal, right?’
The DPWH clarified that the investigation into Perez’s actions continues, but it is not focused on his private-sector ties.
‘We will investigate not their links, but whether they did something wrong or illegal. That will be the subject of our investigation,’ Dizon said.
Other private sector links
Other DPWH officials also have private-sector ties, Dizon said.
He cited Undersecretary Charles Calima, who previously worked at San Miguel Corporation, another major infrastructure firm.
‘Does that mean he will do something wrong in the DPWH? I don’t think that’s automatic. Just because you came from a big infrastructure firm like San Miguel or Metro Pacific doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong or illegal in the DPWH,’ he said.
Based on facts and evidence
Meanwhile, Dizon said he had spoken by phone with Leviste, who told him he had ‘heard’ something about Perez’s connection.
‘For me, I respect what Congressman Leviste did, but it would be better if we based such kinds of accusations [on] facts and evidence. Congressman Leviste called me, and he talked about something he heard, and we immediately acted upon it,’ he also said.
Perez, who only took his oath as DPWH undersecretary for operations in charge of convergence projects and technical services on Sept. 29, resigned on Oct. 17, hours after Leviste identified him, Dizon previously said.
‘What Arrey Perez did was commendable because we rarely see that-even with just speculation or opinion, gossip, or rumor-he already immediately submitted his irrevocable resignation,’ he added.
Perez has yet to publicly respond with Leviste’s allegations.
Following Perez’s resignation, Dizon appointed Lara Marisse Esquibil as the officer-in-charge undersecretary for convergence projects and technical services.
A multi-billion-peso corruption scandal involving DPWH officials, private contractors, and lawmakers over flood-control projects has sparked widespread protests and college walkouts since Sept. 21, alongside rumors of a coup, which the military denied./mcm