Bacolod City lone district Rep. Albee Benitez has asked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan to resign immediately after an inspection of a Bulacan flood control project revealed that a project marked completed by the agency had yet to be constructed.

"Mahiya ka naman (Have some shame). Resign now," Benitez said in a statement Wednesday afternoon, Aug 20.

No less than President Marcos led the inspection. He said he was “very angry” after seeing that the P55-million river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliuag, Bulacan was virtually nonexistent.

"The principle of command responsibility demands that the secretary step down," said Benitez, a returning lawmaker in the 20th Congress.

"If something as basic as this has been overlooked, who knows how many more critical projects are in a similar state," noted the Visayan, who added that a leave of absence on Bonoan's part simply won't do.

Referring to the unfinished project, Benitez said: "This poses a danger to communities who depend on these projects to keep them safe."

"As the President said in his SONA (State of the Nation Address): Mahiya ka naman. The DPWH secretary should resign now," the Bacolod lawmaker said.

Whoever takes over from Bonoan, said Benitez, should continue the comprehensive audit of all flood control projects and identify questionable and substandard structures.

Based on DPWH documents, the 220 meter-structure in Baliuag was supposed to begin last February. Records also showed the project was fully paid, but there was no evidence that work on the project had already begun.