More than ₱6 billion worth of infrastructure projects allegedly poured into Baler, Aurora—the long-standing Angara stronghold—between 2019 and 2024 while then-senator Sonny Angara served as chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, according to a report by Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC).
Citing their review of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) records, BNC said infrastructure allocations for Baler and nearby towns reached roughly ₱6 billion within the five-year span, with 2022 accounting for about ₱1.5 billion.
The report also highlighted unusual patterns, including projects marked “completed” that appeared repeatedly across different years, raising concerns of duplication.
Some of the flagged items were road construction projects in Baler, San Luis, and Dingalan. In 2022, two projects bearing identical descriptions and identical ₱96.5-million budgets were listed under two separate contractors: IRC Construction and Supplies and BMK Construction. Similar instances surfaced in 2023 and 2024, with matching project descriptions and near-identical price tags assigned to different contractors.
The issue comes as Angara—now serving as Secretary of the Department of Education—faces renewed scrutiny following earlier allegations linking him to the flood control kickback scheme raised by former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.
BNC’s source further claimed that the so-called “Angara 5,” composed of figures reportedly aligned with the late former Senate President Edgardo Angara, played a role in budget insertions.
Angara has yet to issue a response to the report.