SYMS Construction owner returns P15M to DOJ

Sally Santos, owner of SYMS Construction Trading, returned P15 million to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday as partial restitution for her involvement in anomalous flood control projects, bringing her total restitution to P20 million.

SYMS Construction Trading has been perpetually banned from public contracts by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) following investigations into fraudulent infrastructure projects.

Santos admitted to lending her firm's license to DPWH officials in Bulacan, Brice Ericson D. Hernandez and Jaypee D. Mendoza, in exchange for a three percent royalty fee on projects facilitated through her company.

She is currently a respondent in multiple ongoing cases, facing criminal charges under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and for malversation of public funds, with the DOJ prosecuting five active cases linked to flood control projects in Bulacan.

Her restitution follows her provisional admission to the Witness Protection Program (WPP) and the execution of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DOJ.

The final amount to be surrendered will be equivalent to the royalty fees Santos received from the Hiram Lisensya scheme.