20 ex-DPWH execs, contractors face graft raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways, represented by its newly appointed Secretary Vince Dizon, filed a criminal complaint yesterday before the Office of the Ombudsman against 20 former DPWH officials in Bulacan and several private contractors, including Sarah Discaya, in connection with the alleged ghost or substandard flood control projects in the province.

In a 35-page complaint, Dizon urged the ombudsman to investigate 20 former officials of the DPWH 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) in Bulacan and five private contractors including Discaya for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents under the Revised Penal Code and violation of RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

“Through their concerted acts, these officials conspired with contractors to facilitate fraudulent fund releases, causing undue damage and injury to the government and granting unwarranted benefits to the contractors,” the complaint read.

Named as respondents were DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO former district engineer Henry Alcantara, assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, Construction Section chiefs Jaypee Mendoza and John Michael Ramos, Planning and Design Section chief Ernesto Galang, Maintenance Section officer-in-charge (OIC) chiefs Lorenzo Pagtalunan and Jaime Hernandez, Quality Assurance Section chief Norberto Santos, Administrative Section chief Floralyn Simbulan and Finance Section chief Juanito Mendoza.

Likewise named respondents were DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO former Budget Unit head Roberto Roque, Procurement Unit head Benedict Matawaran, cashier II Christina Pineda and project engineers Paul Jayson Duya, Merg Jaron Laus, Lemuel Ephraim Roque, Arjay Domasig, John Carlo Rivera, John Benex Francisco and Jolo Mari Tayao.

Charged with the former DPWH-Bulacan officials were five private individuals representing the construction firms: Discaya as the “beneficial owner” of St. Timothy Construction Corp. and Ma. Roma Angeline D. Rimando as its general manager; Mark Allan Arevalo as the owner/general manager of Wawao Builders; Sally Santos as the owner/general manager of SYMS Construction Trading; and Robert Imperio as owner/general manager of IM Construction Corporation.

Aside from investigating the complaint and filing the appropriate cases at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, Dizon also prayed to the ombudsman to initiate, “if warranted” a wealth forfeiture proceeding against the respondents.

Dizon also prayed to the ombudsman to coordinate with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to investigate possible acts of money laundering by the respondents.

In another development, Secretary Dizon has asked the House of Representatives to extend its deadline for the sub mission of the DPWH’s revised proposed budget for 2026 from Sept. 12 to Sept. 15.

In a letter to Speaker Martin Romualdez, Dizon said the volume of items and documents of the DPWH proposed 2026 budget requires more time for thorough review. — Rainier Allan Ronda, Jose Rodel Clapano