35 DPWH officials, contractors placed on immigration lookout list

National

TOP engineers, district officers, and company executives are among 35 individuals now subject to an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) as the Senate digs into alleged anomalies in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control projects.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has confirmed that it enforced the order after receiving a directive signed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

According to BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, the ILBO was issued upon the request of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, chair of the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, and Atty. Rodolfo Noel Quimbo, director general of the Blue Ribbon Oversight Office Management. Both sought the measure in connection with the ongoing Senate inquiry.

The order names two previously dismissed district engineers, Henry Alcantara and Bryce Hernandez, along with seven other DPWH officials:

• Maria Catalina Cabral, Undersecretary for Planning, Public-Private Partnership and Information Management Service

• Ramon Arriola III, Flood Control Management Cluster project director

• Luz dela Rosa, Internal Audit Service director

• Gerard Opulencia, National Capital Region director officer-in-charge

• Roseller Tolentino, Region III director

• Jayson Jauco, officer-in-charge of the Bulacan first district engineering office

• Norberto Santos, planning and design section chief of the same Bulacan office

Also included are 26 officers from construction firms engaged in flood control projects. They include presidents, owners, managers, and authorized managing officers of companies such as Legacy Construction Corp., Alpha & Omega General Contractor and Development Corp., St. Timothy Construction Corp., QM Builders, EGB Construction Corp., Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., Centerways Construction and Development Inc., Sunwest Inc., Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corp., Triple 8 Construction & Supply Inc., Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies, Wawao Builders, MG Samidan Construction, L.R. Tiqui Builders Inc., Road Edge Trading & Development Services, Darcy and Anna Builders and Trading, Eddmari Construction and Trading, Elite General Contractor and Development Corp., Ferdstar Builders Contractors, Rayman Builders Inc., and Silverwolves Construction Corp.

According to Viado, the ILBO does not stop individuals from leaving the country but is intended to monitor their movements, with immigration officers tasked to coordinate with other agencies and document travel details for the Senate inquiry.

The Department of Justice separately confirmed that DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan had earlier requested the issuance of an ILBO covering 26 names, some of which overlap with those submitted by Marcoleta.

Marcoleta has raised concerns that several contractors may have already gone abroad while the probe is ongoing.

“I’m not saying they already escaped,” he told GMA News as quoted by Philstar, noting that he had received information some of the individuals might already be in the United States.

He explained that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cannot issue a hold departure order, as only the courts have that authority, making it necessary to follow the proper legal process.(MyTVCebu)