DPWH files raps vs 20 officials, 4 contractors over Bulacan flood control project anomalies

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) filed criminal charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against 20 officials and four contractors for alleged anomalies in flood control projects in Bulacan.

The respondents face accusations of graft, malversation of public funds, falsification, and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Revised Penal Code, and the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Among those charged are former District Engineer Henry Alcantara and former Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, along with Construction Section Chiefs Jaypee Mendoza and John Michael Ramos.

Several other officers from the Bulacan first district engineering office are also included in the complaint, such as Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang and OIC Maintenance Section Chiefs Lorenzo Pagtalunan and Jaime Hernandez.

The implicated construction firms include St. Timothy Construction Corporation, Syms Construction Trading, Wawao Builders, and IM Construction, with their owners also being respondents.

These cases stem from allegations of substandard, ghost, or non-existent projects.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon personally submitted documents to the Ombudsman, vowing accountability for those involved in anomalous contracts, a move prompted by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s directive.