COA flags 4 Bulacan flood control projects worth P330M
KEEP THEM COMING Four audit reports were filed with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure on Wednesday by Fraud Audit Office lawyer Bin Manda of the Commission on Audit. The reports were received by ICI Senior Administrative Assistant Don Santiago Perfecto. —COA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) sought a criminal investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) of four “ghost” flood control projects in Bulacan province worth over P330 million already paid by the government.
The COA said in a statement on Thursday that it filed four fraud audit reports (FARs) with the fact-finding body the previous day, after it found irregularities, such as nonexistent structures, unauthorized project relocations, and unsupported claims of completion.
Notorious 1st District
“The resulting FARs have now been transmitted to the ICI for appropriate criminal, civil, and administrative action, including possible referral to the Office of the Ombudsman,” the COA statement said.
All four projects were implemented by the now-notorious Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which awarded the contracts to build the flood control projects to Wawao Builders.
READ: Ex-DPWH exec Cabral found ‘unresponsive’ by Kennon Road river
On Sept. 4, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced the blacklisting of Wawao from future government projects after an inspection showed that a P96.5-million river protection wall project in Plaridel town was only partially built by the company.
The DPWH recommended the filing of criminal complaints in the Department of Justice against Wawao, its affiliates, and all individuals involved, including those deemed as dummies and the actual beneficial owners.
In its statement, the COA said the four Wawao projects cost a total of P330,512,956.97.
These four projects were:
• Riverbank protection structure at Barangay Calero, Malolos City (worth P77,197,885.27)
• Riverbank protection structure, Barangay Malis in Guiguinto town (P98,999,939.04)
• Flood mitigation structure, Barangay Bulusan, Calumpit town (P77,199,991.76)
• Riverbank protection structure, Barangay Namayan, Malolos City, Bulacan (P77,115,140.90)
According to information from the DPWH, the Barangay Calero project was reported to be completed on April 19, 2024, just two months after work started on Feb. 7, 2024.
The riverbank protection structure in Barangay Malis was also started on Feb. 7, 2024, and finished on Sept. 19, 2024.
Never built on site
The Bulusan project was started on Feb. 13, 2023, and completed on July 3, 2023, while the Barangay Namayan riverbank protection structure was started and finished on the exact same dates.
The COA said Wawao and the 1st DEO reported the completion of the flood control structures that were never built at approved sites. There were also unauthorized relocations without proper documentation and major gaps in key supporting documents.
The COA said the following individuals should be held liable for the four allegedly anomalous flood control projects:
From Bulacan 1st DEO:
1. Henry C. Alcantara—former district engineer
2. Brice Ericson D. Hernandez – former assistant district engineer
3. Ernesto C. Galang – former planning and design section Chief
4. Jaypee D. Mendoza – former construction section chief or OIC assistant district engineer
5. Paul Jayson Duya – project engineer
6. Jolo Mari V. Tayao – project Engineer
7. Lemuel Ephraim Roque – project engineer
8. Sheena Bernadette B. Morales – project engineer
9. Jaime R. Hernandez – project engineer
10. Lorenzo A. Pagtalunan – project engineer
11. Emelita V. Morales – project engineer
12. Paycee Nicole D. Dimaano – project engineer
13. Isiah Lor V. Galang – project engineer
14. Mark Lester S. Castro – project engineer
15. John Michael E. Ramos – construction section personnel or engineer
From Wawao:
1. Mark Allan Arevalo – manager
The COA said that according to its audit findings, the individuals involved may face charges of graft and corruption under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and malversation of public funds and falsification of documents under the Revised Penal Code.
The commission added that they also violated COA Circular No. 2009-001 and applicable procurement and infrastructure regulations.
Evasive answers
Of the 1st DEO engineers, Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza were cited in contempt by the Senate and had been ordered detained following the blue ribbon committee hearings on the flood control scandal in September.
Alcantara was cited for lying and providing evasive answers to senators’ questions; Mendoza for denying knowledge about irregularities; and Hernandez for dishonesty in responding to questions about his lifestyle and gambling habit.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said last week that the three former DPWH engineers would remain in detention unless a court issues an arrest warrant for them, in which case they would be turned over to law enforcement authorities.
Around 25 people, including resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co and billionaire contractor Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, have been charged in alleged flood control project irregularities separately in Oriental Mindoro and in Davao Occidental provinces in the Sandiganbayan and the Regional Trial Court in Digos City, since the multibillion-peso kickback scandal broke out in August.
