Alan Cayetano blasts DPWH execs: Seems you’re not serious about probe
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano during one of the Senate inquiries. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau file photo
MANILA, Philippines — “It seems like you’re not serious about this investigation.”
These were the words used by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano when he grilled on Friday Public Works and Highways officials over their supposedly disappointing actions to address the recent collapse of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela.
At a Senate subpanel on blue ribbon’s public hearing, Cayetano expressed his dismay.
“Pasensya na. You’re the one here, but I should tell this [to the] secretary — parang hindi kayo seryoso sa investigation na ito. Right now, there’s no point person in the investigation. Right now, no one was preventively suspended,” Cayetano pointed out.
(I’m sorry you’re the one here, but I should tell this to the secretary. It appears to me that you’re not serious about this investigation. Right now, there’s no point person in the investigation. Right now, no one was preventively suspended.)
At the center of Cayetano’s dismay was DPWH Undersecretary Eugenio Pipo Jr.
Cayetano lashed out his frustration after he was informed by Pipo that they have yet to preventively suspend DPWH officials.
“Two weeks na wala pa kayong preventive suspension. So kung merong kalokohan dyan, sa design [o] sa testing napalitan na by now. Kasi the purpose of preventive suspension — whoever is there — is not to say you’re guilty. Di ba?” said Cayetano.
(It’s been two weeks and there’s still no preventive suspension. If there’s a misdeed there in the design or testing, they could’ve been replaced by now. Because that’s the purpose of preventive suspension — whoever is there — is not to say you’re guilty.)
“What kind of investigation are you doing? That’s why I want your secretary here. Parang hindi kayo seryoso sa — sabi ni Sen. Revilla heads have to roll. How will they roll if you allow them to talk to people [and] do everything? If I was the guilty person, what will I do? I’ll cover up di ba?” he added.
(What kind of investigation are you doing? That’s why I want your secretary here. It looks to me that you’re not serious — similar to what Sen. Revilla said, heads have to roll. How will they roll if you allow them to talk to people and do everything? If I was the guilty person, what would I do? I’ll cover it up, right?)
In a separate ambush interview shortly after the hearing, Cayetano told the media that he is “very disappointed” on how the DPWH is taking the matter.
“Parang hindi wholehearted. I-eexcuse ko na na wala si secretary dito, pero two weeks na wala ka pang point person kung sino ang nag iimbestiga. Wala pa yung committee and I don’t think it’s good practice. Binanggit ko na to kay secretary noong budget hearing na hindi good practice na mag MFP ka— Memo For the President nang hindi pulido at wala pang conclusion diba,” he said.
(It doesn’t feel wholehearted. I’ll make it an excuse that the secretary is not here, but it’s been two weeks and yet there’s still no point person on who is investigating. There’s still no committee and I don’t think it’s good practice. I told the secretary during the budget hearing that it’s not good practice for them to issue a Memo For the Present while they have yet to polish and make a solid conclusion.)
He then proceeded to point out that the only thing that the DPWH did was to gather all documents, but officials still “can’t answer why prices have doubled up from the first contract, as well as why the retrofitting was charged to the government.
“I’m hoping that the DPWH will shape up and now we know why kailangan talaga yung blue ribbon committee ‘di ba. So hindi pa pa pala tayo mag hearing hindi pa pala ito priority sa DPWH,” said Cayetano.
(I am hoping that the DPWH will shape up and now we know why there’s a need for a blue ribbon committee, right. If it weren’t for this hearing, the DPWH will not make this a priority.)
For the DPWH’s part, Pipo maintained that they are conducting an active investigation. In a separate ambush interview also on Friday, he said a panel will be conducted to specifically investigate the cause of the “failure of the bridge.”
On February 27, the Cabagan-Sta Maria Bridge collapsed when a dump truck carrying quarried stones exceeding the 45-ton weight limit attempted to cross.
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At least six people were injured and four vehicles were damaged in the incident.
The bridge had been completed just weeks earlier on February 1, 2025 at a cost of P1.22 billion.
