QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon took the witness stand at the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Wednesday, September 23, testifying against former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co and former DPWH-Mimaropa officials in an ongoing graft trial.
The court proceedings center on a ₱289.4-million road dike construction project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, executed by Sunwest Inc., a firm in which Co is alleged to hold beneficial ownership.
During his testimony, Dizon detailed findings from a field inspection he conducted at the site last year.
He confirmed that the installed steel sheet piles measured merely three meters in length, significantly defying the project’s specified 12-meter structural requirement.
“I just verified yung information na sheet piles eh tatlong metro lang imbes na labindalawa. And yun naman talaga ang rason kung bakit nakampante tayo na substandard talaga yung ginawa ng Sunwest Corporation,” Dizon stated in an interview following the hearing.
“At sinabi ko rin sa korte na ako mismo noong pagdating ko doon nakita ko na may mga area doon na gumuho na isang ulan pa lang. Pagka talaga substandard ang pundasyon eh yun talaga ang mangyayari,” he added.
Addressing the feasibility of corrective measures, the cabinet official clarified why the defective foundation could not be easily remedied or retrofitted.
“Imposible talaga kasi para palitan nila lahat yung sheet pile na 3 meters at gawing 12 meters, gigibain yung buong structure na ginawa nila,” Dizon explained.
“Obvious na obvious na talagang binaboy nila yung proyektong to. Na sinadya nilang gawing 3 meters yung 12 meters na sheet pile,” he added.