By Leonardo Micua

 

THE sudden resignation of two top executives from the Pangasinan provincial government two weeks ago has sparked widespread speculation.

The resignations of Provincial Administrator Melicio Patague III and Provincial Accountant Marlon Operana came as a shock to many.

Both had been with Governor Ramon Guico III from the very start of his term, and in Patague’s case, he had even served as the Governor’s long-time Vice Mayor when Guico was still the mayor of Binalonan.

Reports suggest that the two were summoned to the Urduja House by the governor, where they allegedly received a stern reprimand.

When they emerged from the meeting, both wore poker faces and quickly returned to their respective offices, where they proceeded to pack their belongings.

This left many employees at the Provincial Capitol bewildered and fueled suspicions that their resignations might have been forced by the governor.

The exact reasons behind the resignations remain unclear, but one theory is that it could be tied to the alleged disappearance of a sum of money, reportedly amounting to several millions of pesos, which some claim was misappropriated — or even absconded — by the two.

If the missing funds under the care of the two were public, it is just proper that they be investigated, charged, and, if found guilty, held accountable — possibly facing imprisonment for their actions.

Ultimately, the public deserves transparency and accountability on this matter. Only an investigation will shed light on the truth.

Unfortunately, we heard that Patague is now in Canada as a tourist or even as an immigrant.

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The discovery of an alleged substandard flood control project in Bauang, La Union, by no less than Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has blown a hole in the earlier claim of DPWH Regional Director Rommel Tan that there are no ghost or substandard projects in Region 1.

Secretary Dizon, accompanied by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong — special adviser to the newly created Independent Commission on Infrastructures — saw with their own eyes what many communities have long suspected: the hallmarks of corruption laid bare in public works. 

From the use of weak steel and cement to the bizarre presence of short PVC pipes, the project was a showcase not of resilience against floods but of the rot that has infected the system.

Why would a contractor dare to cut corners this way? The answer is as old as Philippine politics: kickbacks. When a chunk of a project’s funds is siphoned off to satisfy greedy hands in government, what remains is never enough to build to standard. 

And so, corruption doesn’t just steal money; it steals safety, trust, and in the end, lives.

This Bauang case may just be the tip of the iceberg. If Secretary Dizon and Mayor Magalong dig deeper, they might find that many other flood control projects in Luzon—and beyond—are merely shells of what they are supposed to be.

Heads will certainly roll in one La Union DPWH district office, if not in the entire Region 1 office, now that the truth has surfaced.

Meanwhile, the backlash against corruption is spreading nationwide. Rallies are multiplying, fueled by frustration at the sheer brazenness of officials who treat taxpayers’ money as their own purse.

Even Speaker Martin Romualdez has hinted (as of this writing) at resignation amid accusations that the national budget itself was designed to funnel funds into ghost flood control projects.

The public has heard enough promises. What it demands now is action — swift, decisive, and uncompromising. Until then, floodwaters will continue to rise, but what truly threatens to drown us is corruption itself.

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