THE VANISHING SECRETARY: Did Vince Dizon Uncover Too Much? The Martin Romualdez “Hit List” and the Silence of the DPWH

The date is January 11, 2026, and a chilling silence has descended upon the Port Area of Manila. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), an agency synonymous with the skeletal structures of a nation’s progress, is currently at the center of a sensational mystery. Its leader, Secretary Vince Dizon, once the “Golden Boy” of infrastructure and a man touted as a future presidential contender, has effectively vanished from the public eye.

This is an investigative deep-dive into the “Vanishing Secretary”—a story of high-level corruption, a leaked “Hit List” featuring former Speaker Martin Romualdez, and the terrifying reality of what happens when an idealistic reformer hits the “Great Wall” of Philippine politics.

The Investigation: The Rise of the “Cleanser”

When Vince Dizon was first appointed to the DPWH, he didn’t just walk into the office; he stormed it. For the first few months of his tenure, Dizon was everywhere. He was the “Action Man” the public craved.

Our investigation into his early days reveals a man on a mission. Dizon was known for his “Unannounced Inspections.” He would show up at substandard road projects in the middle of the afternoon, media in tow, and publicly “lastada” (eviscerate) the Regional Directors and District Engineers. He didn’t care about their years of service or their political connections.

“I will clean this agency,” Dizon famously declared. He formed an unprecedented alliance with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and Ombudsman Boying, holding joint press conferences where they laid out evidence of massive anomalies. It was a “New Philippines” dream—until he mentioned the name that changed everything: Martin Romualdez.

The Romualdez “Hit List”: The Moment the Music Stopped

The sensational turning point occurred during a high-stakes press conference where Dizon was asked about the biggest “whales” in infrastructure corruption. Without flinching, Dizon revealed that the DPWH and the ICI had a list of individuals recommended for prosecution.

The Bomb Shell: At the top of that list was none other than former Speaker Martin Romualdez. Dizon claimed they had “irrefutable evidence” of anomalies tied to the former Speaker’s influence. The public was in shock. Netizens were vlogging, “Is he serious? Is he actually going after a Romualdez?” It was the ultimate “David vs. Goliath” moment of 2025.

But then came the reaction. Romualdez’s lawyers issued a stinging, immediate rebuttal. And then… nothing.

The Mystery of the French Vacation and the 2026 Silence

Following the Romualdez declaration, the “Action Man” stopped acting. Dizon’s daily inspections ceased. His fire-breathing press conferences disappeared. The next time the public saw him, he wasn’t in a hard hat in a muddy ditch in Luzon; he was in France, reportedly on vacation.

The investigation into Dizon’s return to the Philippines in early 2026 reveals a man transformed. He is no longer seen. He is no longer heard. The “Presidential” buzz that once surrounded him has turned into a whisper of “Resignation.”

The Rumor: Insiders suggest Dizon is “fed up” with the DPWH and is begging to be transferred back to the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The Question: Did he resign, or was he “Rendahan” (reined in) by a power higher than his own?

The “Malacañang Muzzle”: Who Told Vince to Brake?

Our investigative sources suggest that the “France Vacation” was a forced cooling-off period. Speculation is rife that a “Higher Official” in Malacañang—perhaps the highest—called Dizon into a private meeting after the Romualdez announcement.

The message was reportedly simple: “Preno ka muna, pre.” (Apply the brakes, friend.)

Dizon likely realized the “True World” of government. You cannot fight the Regional Directors and District Engineers who hold the keys to the bureaucracy, and you certainly cannot place a Romualdez at the top of a “Hit List” without facing a total systemic shutdown.

The sensational truth is that Dizon may have found himself “Isolating.” If the DPWH employees hate him for being a “Snitch,” and the political giants hate him for being a “Prosecutor,” where does he stand?

Conclusion: The Tragedy of the “Punto Diretso”

Vince Dizon’s silence is a loud indictment of the system. The “Punto Diretso” (Straight to the Point) style that the people loved has been blunted by the reality of political survival.

As of January 11, 2026, the DPWH is back to business as usual. Substandard projects continue, and the “Hit List” has seemingly been shredded. Whether Dizon stays at the DPWH or flees to the DOT, the “Bad News” is the same: the reformer has been tamed.

The “Bunyog” (Unity) cry for a clean government is now a whisper. Dizon’s “Presidential” trajectory has hit a dead end, proving that in the world of Philippine infrastructure, the roads are paved with more than just concrete—they are paved with “utang na loob” (debt of gratitude) and untouchable names.

The Question for 2026: Will Vince Dizon find his voice again and release the “Romualdez Evidence” to the public, or will he complete his disappearance, leaving the DPWH to the “Vultures” he once promised to hunt?