MANILA, Philippines — Surigao del Norte 1st District Representative Francisco “Lalo” Matugas has urged the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss allegations implicating him in irregularities surrounding the Mahayhay-Tuburan Road project in Del Carmen town.
In a counter-affidavit submitted for preliminary investigation, Matugas denied any hand in the infrastructure deal, maintaining that he signed no project documents and was out of public office during most of its execution and payout period.
According to Matugas, his stint as provincial governor ended on June 30, 2022, leaving him a private citizen until he assumed his current congressional seat on July 1, 2025. The underlying complaint notes that the contract was inked on February 22, 2022, with disbursements to contractor Boometrix Development Corporation spanning from February 2022 through March 2024.
“I never signed any document in relation to this project,” Matugas stressed.
The lawmaker refuted allegations that he assisted in preparing, reviewing, or approving disbursement vouchers, inspection reports, or certifications linked to the project.
Matugas also clarified a May 1, 2025 real estate mortgage (REM) involving him and his wife, which the complaint framed as proof of a financial stake in Boometrix.
He explained that the mortgage merely served as collateral to accommodate a financing loan for Boometrix, former Representative Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II, and his wife Ethel.
“The REM indicates that on 1 May 2025, my wife and I agreed to mortgage our property to secure a loan of Boometrix with RAMPVER FINANCIALS INC., a financing company,” he stated.
Asserting his status as an accommodating third-party mortgagor, Matugas argued that the transaction gave him no managerial oversight or pecuniary interest in the firm, nor did it reference the Department of Public Works and Highways project.
“The terms of the REM do not even mention the DPWH Project or allow me to participate in the management of Boometrix,” he said.
He highlighted that the mortgage was executed over a year after the final project payment cited in the complaint, at a time when he held no public post. Furthermore, Matugas dismissed claims that familial ties to Boometrix shareholders pointed to a conspiracy.
“Neither circumstance establishes that I agreed to participate in, or performed any overt act in furtherance of, the alleged unlawful transactions described in the Complaint,” he stated.
Clarifying that he is neither a shareholder nor an officer of the contractor, Matugas asserted he received no proceeds from the project and that the complaint lacks sufficient evidence to justify charges.
The Office of the Ombudsman continues its preliminary probe into reported anomalies surrounding the accomplishment claims and payments for the road project.