By Junex Doronio
MANILA — A former Department of Education undersecretary is now facing corruption allegations over the agency’s school building program. A senior lawmaker revealed his involvement in a kickback scheme, where he allegedly solicited commissions from members of the House of Representatives in exchange for approving school building projects in their districts.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel on Thursday accused former DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III of allegedly asking lawmakers for kickbacks as high as 18% of the contract price for school building projects in their areas during his tenure as undersecretary in charge of school building construction.
Densing strongly denied the allegations made by Pimentel.
“Well, first of all, it’s a blatant lie. I never asked for any commission. It’s precisely because I’m process-oriented,” Densing stated.
The revelations surfaced as Pimentel recounted a conversation with Greg Morillo, who allegedly acted as Densing’s intermediary. Densing is now in the private sector.
“Right there and then, I already knew that Densing would ask for a commission,” Pimentel claimed, suggesting that Densing had demanded a bribe in exchange for releasing funds already allocated for school building projects in Surigao del Sur.
“Dapat huwag ka nang bumalik sa gobyerno. The government doesn’t need your kind. You are a very corrupt person using your position to your advantage,” Pimentel added.
According to Pimentel, despite the allocation of P170 million for school buildings in his district, the bidding process for the projects was abruptly halted after he refused to comply with Densing’s alleged request for a commission.
“Lo and behold, the funds didn’t come through, the bidding was canceled,” Pimentel said, asserting that Densing’s actions directly affected vital infrastructure development in his district.
Pimentel further claimed that Densing had approached multiple lawmakers, offering school building allocations in exchange for a percentage of the project budget.
“Marami ring congressman ang nagsabi sa akin na you approached them,” Pimentel said, revealing that one congressman from the Visayas was allegedly asked for an 18% commission on school building funds.
The accusations deepened, with Pimentel alleging that Densing met with several lawmakers in Manila, accompanied by a contractor named Architect Ralph Tecson.
“You even had a contractor with you,” Pimentel stated, implying that Densing was not only demanding commissions but also directing contractors to lawmakers.
Densing denied the allegations, calling them “a blatant lie,” and emphasized his commitment to transparency in his role.
However, Pimentel dismissed Densing’s defense, labeling him a liar.
“You are lying, Mr. Densing! And I can cite you for contempt!” Pimentel retorted during a heated exchange.
While the House hearing was suspended, Pimentel vowed to gather more evidence against Densing, indicating that the case is far from over.
“I will gather more evidence to prove that what I’m saying is true — that Mr. Epimaco Densing is a very corrupt person,” Pimentel declared, promising to reveal more details in the next hearing.
One of the most serious accusations against Densing was his alleged manipulation of the DepEd budget for fiscal year 2024.
Pimentel questioned why funds for school buildings in Surigao del Sur were suddenly cut, despite being included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
He accused Densing of making these cuts without informing affected lawmakers, further fueling suspicions of corruption.
“That is why Densing was removed from DepEd. He didn’t resign,” Pimentel claimed, asserting that Densing was forced out due to his involvement in corrupt practices.
ia/mnm
