The executive director and two other board members of the embattled Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) abruptly resigned amid growing scrutiny over an alleged “registration-for-sale” scheme.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, who has assumed direct supervision of PCAB, confirmed on Thursday, Sept. 4, that the board’s Executive Director Herbert Matienzo has resigned due to “personal reasons.”

Matienzo tendered his resignation on Wednesday, Sept. 3, which was accepted by Roque on the same day.

The Trade Secretary has appointed an officer-in-charge (OIC) as Matienzo’s replacement.

Matienzo was earlier tagged by lawmakers during a House of Representatives investigation as the alleged mastermind behind the scheme requiring contractors to cough up as much as ₱2 million in exchange for license renewal.

In a previous statement, PCAB countered that its licenses are not for sale, while admitting that it is “aware of certain individuals and entities” offering “shortcuts.”

Roque said board members Arthur Escalante and Erni Baggao have also exited PCAB.

Baggao quit over “personal and health reasons,” while Escalante stepped down after his three-year term as board member expired.

Both Escalante and Baggao were called out by Sen. Panfilo Lacson for being presidents of their own construction companies despite being PCAB board members.

Lacson said these firms have contracts for infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), suggesting that they have an advantage over other contractors since they have the power to revoke licenses.

Case in point, Escalante and Baggio’s last course of action at PCAB was to revoke the licenses of nine firms owned or controlled by contractor Sarah Discaya.

This decision, embodied under PCAB Board Resolution No. 075, was signed Sept. 1 but only made public on Wednesday.

An attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), PCAB is an accrediting body that ensures only qualified contractors operate, especially in government infrastructure projects.

As indicated under the Contractors’ License Law, no contractor must engage in the business of contracting without first having secured a PCAB license to conduct business.

Chairman Pericles Dakay is the only member of the three-member PCAB that has not yet exited the board.

Despite the exit of three PCAB executives, Roque assured that they will still be covered by an investigation being undertaken by the DTI.

Roque said earlier that she will conduct a comprehensive investigation into allegations facing PCAB to determine potential abuses of authority.

She also placed PCAB and the Construction Industry Association of the Philippines (CIAP) under her direct supervision indefinitely.

Roque said both CIAP and PCAB will undergo a “major revamp” to prevent further mismanagement and any conduct detrimental to their mandate.

Meanwhile, in addition to the Discaya-led companies, the DTI will release the full list of companies facing potential license revocation once Matienzo submits the necessary turnover documents.

Roque said this will cover the 15 contractors named earlier by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for essentially cornering 20 percent of the ₱545-billion total budget for flood control projects.

“All those companies that are involved, we are already doing an investigation on them,” she said.