The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be transparent but will have to exercise utmost care against personalities who have exploited the freedom of expression or of the press.
Secretary Mark A. Villar said that as public servants, the officials and employees of DPWH endeavor to act professionally in dealing with the press as key partners in communicating to the people what the government is doing for their benefit.
However, recent events compelled DPWH to implement stringent protocol in accrediting media partners assigned to cover the DPWH beat in order to stop the “attack-collect-defend-collect” trade of erring journalists and unscrupulous pseudo-reporters who roam around DPWH offices for the purpose of soliciting money.
In an entrapment operation by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last August 6, 2019, radio commentator Romy Padlan was arrested at the DPWH Central Office, Port Area, Manila after receiving marked money amounting to two-hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00).
The entrapment operation was drawn up by the crime investigators after DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain filed threat, extortion and cyber libel complaints at NBI against Mr. Padlan.
Earlier, Mr. Padlan made negative commentaries spanning months in his online streaming radio program to malign and discredit the image of Undersecretary Sadain and later blackmailed the DPWH official by demanding huge amount of money in exchange of ending his smear campaign.
Undersecretary Sadain said that he is not the kind to be bullied as he would take the risk of going after the individual who attempt to destroy his reputation as career public official.
A trustworthy leader and hands-on manager that gained him respect and admiration of his peers and co-workers over the last three (3) decades, Undersecretary Sadain is an outstanding performer and multi-awarded civil servant.
He was a recipient of the 2015 Career Executive Service Board (CESB) Award for “Outstanding Cost Effective Officer (CEO)” and an Honoree of the “Presidential Gawad Career Executive Service (CES) Award” handed to him by no less than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the ceremony held September 20, 2017 in Malacanang for his effective use of change management tools in improving the human resource capability, performance and fiscal management of the DPWH Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in his capacity as the appointed Regional Cabinet Secretary from January 2012 to June 2015.
The organizational transformation resulted in significant savings for the DPWH ARMM organization.
In his incumbency as Regional Cabinet Secretary, Undersecretary Sadain uncovered numerous anomalous transactions done at the very noses of syndicate of five (5) Commission on Audit personnel assigned at ARMM and later brought to the suspension/dismissal/removal from service of these people also involved in extortion activities.
While the smear campaign through commentaries launched against him have tarnished his reputation, Undersecretary Sadain who as overall in-charge of Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) operations and Technical Services stay focused as he continues to spearhead the implementation of all Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects of DPWH under the Build Build Build Program of President Duterte.