A man died after falling into a flooded, open drainage manhole along a busy highway in Angeles City, and the two district engineers in charge of that road have now been removed over the lapse. The victim, Reiner Novero, went into the open canal along the Fil-Am Friendship Highway last month in an accident caught on CCTV that spread across social media. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has since relieved both officers effective immediately.
Who Dizon removed
Dizon relieved the officer-in-charge district engineer and the officer-in-charge assistant district engineer of the Pampanga 3rd District Engineering Office, Aser S. Mallari and Augustin R. Dagsaan Jr., over their failure to implement required road safety measures along the highway where the man died.
| Official | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Aser S. Mallari | OIC District Engineer, Pampanga 3rd District | Relieved, effective immediately |
| Augustin R. Dagsaan Jr. | OIC Assistant District Engineer, Pampanga 3rd District | Relieved, effective immediately |
“In view of your failure to comply with the required safety standards, among other infractions, you are hereby relieved of your duties as officers-in-charge,” Dizon wrote in the memorandum released on Sunday night. The two were directed to finish pending documents and formally turn over their posts.
How the accident happened
Novero died on Aug. 28 after falling into the flooded open canal along Fil-Am Friendship Highway in Barangay Cutcut, Angeles City. The accident was captured by CCTV and later went viral on social media. The Fil-Am Friendship Highway is a main route carrying traffic from the northern fringes of Metro Manila into Pampanga.
Why it matters
The removal is the latest accountability move by Dizon over flood and road safety lapses. It comes weeks after he sacked the Las Piñas-Muntinlupa maintenance chief over a slow flood response, and it tracks his push to replace outdated flood plans with science-backed projects.
It also underscores a danger commuters face every monsoon season: flooded streets can hide open drains and manholes that become hard to spot under murky water. Dizon tied the order to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to enforce safety and quality standards in public works, saying officials who neglect their duties will be held accountable.
