Signing of project inspection docs ministerial, says ex-DPWH official

Department of Public Works and Highways. MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B Maintenance Division chief Juliet Calvo on Tuesday told the Sandiganbayan that the signing of project inspection reports is a “ministerial duty.” Calvo is one of the eight co-accused of Co in a malversation case before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division who took the witness stand on Tuesday. The non-bailable malversation of funds through falsification of public documents case stemmed from a P289.4 million road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro which state prosecutors said was found to have serious structural deficiencies. Article continues after this advertisement Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon, who inspected the site, discovered that the road dike only has a three-meter steel sheet pile (SSP), way off the 12-meter requirement. However, the certificate of inspection (COI) for March 18, 2024, signed by Calvo, declared that the SSPs in the project are compliant with the 12-meter requirement. Government prosecutor Gian Carla Hernal asked her if she signed the COI voluntarily, to which Calvo replied: “It is ministerial.” Asked by Hernal again if she checked the site, her lawyer, Edwin Labro Jr., objected to this question and said: “The witness said it was ministerial on her part.” Calvo admitted that she did not personally inspect the site and relied solely on the geotagged photos attached to the document. Article continues after this advertisement Hernal pressed as to how Calvo determined the length of the SSPs, Calvo said: “Just based on what appears in the pictures.” The COI is one of the requirements for the first progress billing to the contractor, Sunwest. Article continues after this advertisement Sunwest is co-founded by Co, who also used to be the chairperson of the powerful House committee on appropriations before his resignation as a party-list representative in September last year amid the widespread public outrage on the multibillion flood control corruption scandal. For his part, Co could not participate in the trial as he was earlier declared by Sandiganbayan as a fugitive from justice. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. A respondent declared a fugitive from justice could no longer participate in the proceedings and could not seek any judicial relief unless they surrendered voluntarily. /gsg