A TOTAL of 42 building projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), amounting to multi-million pesos, were found to have no required permits, the City Engineering Office revealed yesterday.
Acting City Engineer Michael Aguilar disclosed that the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office, headed by embattled District Engineer Isabelo Baleros, failed to secure any building permit from the city government when the construction of the projects began earlier this year.
Baleros was reassigned to the DPWH Metro Manila 3rd District Engineering Office under the NCR Region and was substituted by Engineer Ruel Umali, as per a memorandum issued by DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
“As of today, our inspectors have conducted inspections of all 42 DPWH building projects. A careful examination of our records showed that none of the said projects has a building permit on file,” Aguilar said in response to the letter-query of Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos.
Aguilar noted that of the projects inspected, 19 have already been completed while seven are still undergoing construction. Fifteen projects with ongoing activities were promptly issued notices of violation, while one project has stopped construction after being served with the same notice.
The City Engineering Office has directed the concerned private contractors and government offices to immediately secure the required building, electrical, and plumbing permits, along with zoning and barangay clearances.
Rep. Santos warned that unpermitted structures pose serious risks. “If an illegal structure collapses or violates a neighbor’s easement, the owner is solidarily liable, while architects and engineers who signed plans for such projects may face Professional Regulatory Commission suspension under RA 9266 and RA 544,” he said.
Santos further alleged that “for the past two decades, several DPWH projects in Las Piñas have been spurious and bogus, since private contractors and DPWH engineers never attempted to acquire the necessary permits.”
Aguilar further asserted that Baleros and his personnel blatantly violated DPWH Department Order No. 222, Series of 2002, as well as multiple ordinances enacted by the Las Piñas City Council.
