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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider DPWH-6 officials question filing of cases by anti-graft group

DPWH-6 officials question filing of cases by anti-graft group

Published May 27, 2025 02:19 pm
ILOILO CITY – Officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways-6 (Western Visayas) has questioned the filing of graft and corruption cases by the Crimes and Corruption Watch International Inc. (CCWII).
THE Crimes and Corruption Watch International Inc. (CCWII) led by Chairman Carlo Batalla (center) during a May 21, 2025 press conference in Manila. (Santi San Juan)
THE Crimes and Corruption Watch International Inc. (CCWII) led by Chairman Carlo Batalla (center) during a May 21, 2025 press conference in Manila. (Santi San Juan)
“What’s the reason behind? What’s their real intent?” DPWH-6 Regional Director Sonny Boy Oropel told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview on Tuesday, May 27.
The graft watch group filed the cases on April 21 before the Ombudsman against the DPWH-6 officials, including Oropel, for allegedly rigging contracts in favor of Iloilo-based International Builders Corp. (IBC) despite previous slippage works.
The DPWH-6 officials slammed CCWII Chairman Carlo Batalla for using the media when he called a press conference in Manila last week.
“It is just unfortunate that Mr. Batalla maliciously used the media platforms to get attention in his filing of the complaint to the gross prejudice of the undersigned and the office they represent, including the embarrassment the respective members of their families had suffered,” the DPWH-6 officials said in a press statement.
The DPWH-6 officials are considering “proper legal actions against Mr. Batalla and or CCWII” for “unilaterally embarrassing, maligning, and besmirching (not only their) reputations” but also the DPWH as an institution.
They also said CCWII and Batalla continued to “harass” them after the Ombudsman dismissed similar complaints.
In 2024, the Ombudsman’s joint resolution noted that CCWII “did not even bother to secure any official documents” to back up its allegations against DPWH-6 officials.
Other DPWH-6 officials who were named as respondents in the complaint also signed the statement: Roy Pacanan, Bernadette Betsy Uy, Allan Rey Pajimna (retired), Randolfo Melosantos, Robert Palmera, Mary Grace Bulaquina-Hachuela, Marilou Zamora, Ormel Santos, Gladwyn Ledesma, and Ricardo Gutierrez.
In a separate interview, Batalla maintained that CCWII has basis in filing the complaint against DPWH-6 officials. He claimed these DPWH-6 officials would be jailed as CCWII had “600 pages” of evidence.
However, Batalla could not categorically answer why CCWII did not file cases against DPWH-6 officials in relation to two substandard flyovers in Iloilo worth almost P1 billion. The IBC was the contractor of the two flyovers.
The public is also questioning CCWII and Batall, whose name only publicly surfaced this year in Iloilo and Western Visayas. When asked about his background, Batalla said look up to his online profile.
Batalla claimed that marginalized people in Panay Island are beneficiaries of his social program known as “Batalla Cares.”

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DPWH-6 Crimes and Corruption Watch International Inc. Director Sonny Boy Oropel Chairman Carlo Batalla
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