GENERAL SANTOS CITY – South Cotabato first district Rep. Shirlyn Nograles has asked President Duterte and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to investigate the alleged irregularities in the construction of a P200-million bridge project in the city, which was reportedly found to be defective after its completion in 2018.
Nograles had also sought the relief of Department and Public Works and Highway (DPWW) Regional Director Basir Ibrahim, District Engineer Rey Francisco, and Assistant District Engineer Elsa Urmenita while an investigation into the controversy is being conducted.
She said the bridge, which was built at the diversion road along Barangay Mabuhay, was declared impassable last year after it developed several cracks.
The lawmaker said the DPWH allocated some P80 million this year for the repair of the bridge.
She noted that the DPWH has not undertaken the repair of the defective bridge, but instead built a new bridge in the same area.
“The construction of a new bridge in the guise of rehabilitation for additional budget of P80 million is a waste of public funds that needs public scrutiny,” Nograles said,
She said the project was still within the 15- year warranty period provided by the contractor after its completion and turnover in 2018.
Nograles said the DPWH should have compelled the contractor to undertake the repair of the defective structures of the bridge instead of building a new one.
Francisco explained that the DPWH regional office was the implementing agency in the construction of the bridge, saying that the district engineering office served only as monitoring unit during the project implementation.