Caloocan lawmaker charged over P79-M ‘ghost’ projects

Rep. Dean Asistio —PHOTO FROM ASISTIO FACEBOOK PAGE

MANILA, Philippines — Former Caloocan Mayor Rey Malonzo filed before the Ombudsman on Thursday charges of graft, malversation, and falsification of public documents against Caloocan Rep. Dean Asistio over allegedly “ghost” and overpriced flood control projects worth P79.2 million.

The 74-year-old Malonzo who was city mayor from 1995 to 2004 also sued District Engineer Ruel Umali of the Department of Public Works and Highways and six private contracting companies.

“Despite their reported approval, funding and supposed implementation, several of these projects have no visible existence on the ground, are misrepresented, or are grossly substandard,” the 27-page complaint affidavit stated.

Projects identified

Among the “ghost” projects cited by Malonzo were two flood control projects at Barangay 187 (Tala) in Asistio’s district worth P19.2 million and P6.7 million, and an P11.7-million road in Barangay 159.

There was also an allegedly overpriced covered court rehabilitation in Barangay 187 worth P9.7 million which, the complainant said, should have cost just P150,000 to P300,000.

READ: Ex-Caloocan mayor cleared of graft raps

Malonzo said Asistio is liable as a co-conspirator, citing his repeated association with the said projects through tarpaulin and project signs, and the fact that these were undertaken in his district.

The 37-year-old Asistio has been representative of Caloocan’s third district since 2022 after he served as city councilor from 2013 to 2022. He is a member of the Asistio family who considers the city their political bailiwick, along with the Malapitan family.

READ: Malonzo joins House race in Caloocan, vows to amend laws in barangay

Reached for comment, Asistio said there were no ghost projects in his district, saying “all projects go through the proper process and implementation.”

“I believe that the issues being thrown against me are all just for politicking, especially since there is information that Mr. Rey Malonzo will run in the next election,” he added.

“My office is just waiting for the official copy of the complaint so that we can answer it properly and in accordance with the law,” Asistio said. /cb