Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. files complaint against PEA Tollway Corp. official
A criminal complaint has been filed by Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. against Dioscoro Esteban Jr., officer-in-charge of the state-owned firm PEA Tollway Corp. (PEATC). The complaint alleges that Esteban filed a petition without authorization seeking to remove CIC’s right to manage and operate the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX).
The complaint, filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, accuses Esteban of various violations including the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, perjury, usurpation of authority, and slander. The petition filed by Esteban in March 2024 requested the transfer of operation and maintenance of CAVITEX to PEATC from CIC, claiming that CIC’s authority had expired and the government would lose billions in revenues if CIC continued to operate the tollway.
However, CIC argued that Esteban filed the petition without approval from PEATC’s parent agency, the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC). OGCC objected to the filing of the petition and accused Esteban of slander for making baseless accusations of corruption against CIC.
PEATC, on the other hand, stated that they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint and are prepared to defend Esteban from what they call “malicious and unfounded” allegations. They believe the complaint is an attempt by CIC to divert attention from the real issue at hand.
