3 more solons tagged in flood control mess as DPWH files new graft raps
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has filed new malversation and graft complaints before the Ombudsman against several of its officials and contractors over P275.9 million worth of substandard flood control projects in La Union and Davao Occidental.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon personally submitted the complaints on Thursday, October 23, saying the move aims to “expedite the filing of cases.” At the same time, he and the Ombudsman named three lawmakers as persons of interest in the flood control controversy.
The Davao Occidental case involves a P96.5-million flood control project, with eight DPWH officials from the province’s district engineering office among those charged.
Also charged was contractor Sarah Discaya, owner of St. Timothy Construction Corp., which won the flood control project.
Speaking at a press conference, Dizon described it as a ghost project that was supposed to be completed in 2022. Construction, however, only began after the government launched its investigation into flood control anomalies, and law enforcement later found that the project was never completed.
“So far, it's already been three years since the supposed completion and full payment of the project. So it is clearly a ghost project,” he said.
Meanwhile, the La Union case, Dizon said, involves two phases of a flood control project split into contracts worth P89.7 million each, totaling P179.5 million.
The project was awarded to Silverwolves Construction Corp., represented by its general manager, Moises Tabucol, and has already been fully paid.
Twelve officials from the DPWH La Union 2nd District Engineering Office were also charged alongside Tabucol.
3 congressmen tagged
According to Ombudsman Boying Remulla, Reps. Edvic and Eric Yap are two more persons of interest in the La Union flood control project, saying Eric held a stake in Silverwolves Construction a few years back. Dizon said Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong gave them the lead.
“He divested from it a few years ago supposedly, but there is reason to suspect that he’s still the beneficial owner of the company,” Remulla said.
He also noted that Eric served as House appropriations chair from 2020 to 2022, the same period when the Discayas were awarded the La Union flood control project.
The connection became more apparent when the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) discovered the Discayas had once transmitted around P70 million to Edvic’s bank account, Remulla said.
“So we saw that there is really a pattern — they were clearly involved in the contract because the money was transmitted from the Discayas,” Remulla said in mixed Filipino and English.
This, he stressed, constituted a “clear case of conflict of interest” for the Yaps, which is punishable under Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“Of course he’s trying to hide that,” he added.
Remulla also tagged Rep. Salvador Pleyto (Bulacan, 6th District) as another lawmaker who received funds from the Discayas, according to findings from the AMLC. Pleyto was the president of S.A. Pleyto Construction Corp.
Edvic, Eric and Pleyto have yet to issue statements in response to the allegations against them.
Normally, filed complaints are first evaluated. However, since government documents are presumed to be regular, Remulla said the cases will proceed directly to a preliminary investigation.
The DPWH first filed cases against government contractors and the agency's officials before the Ombudsman in September.
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