Weeks after ghost and substandard flood control projects were uncovered in Bulacan, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has filed charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against those allegedly behind the scheme.
“Una po itong kaso na ihahain natin, ng gobyerno laban sa mga taong involved dito sa pagnanakaw ng pera ng tao,” Dizon said.
He stressed, “Enough is enough. Kailangan managot na ang mga dapat managot.”
Twenty officials and employees of the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office were implicated, from former District Engineers Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez to unit heads, inspectors, and even the cashier who released payments for projects that were either incomplete or entirely fictitious.
Also charged were four construction firms allegedly involved in the scheme: SYMS Construction Trading, Wawao Builders, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and IM Construction Corporation.
The accused face charges of graft and corruption, malversation through falsification of public documents—including the alleged forging of project completion papers—as well as violations of the Government Procurement Act.