One of the defective flood control projects in Bulacan being scrutinized by the DPWH for alleged irregularities.
ACTING Ombudsman Dante Vargas has ordered the six-month preventive suspension of 16 personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office, effective Thursday, September 18.
The suspension stems from ongoing investigations into alleged corruption related to flood control projects in the province.
The Ombudsman’s action follows the filing of criminal complaints by DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon against the implicated personnel.
Dizon subsequently issued a memorandum on September 19, mandating the immediate implementation of the suspension order. Those affected include heads and officers-in-charge from various key sections within the district office, such as Construction, Planning and Design, Maintenance, Quality, and Administration, as well as personnel from the Budget Unit, Procurement Unit, cashier’s office, project engineers, and engineers.
Former district engineer Henry Alcantara, assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, Construction Section chief Jaypee Mendoza, and chief accountant Juanito Mendoza were not included in the suspension as they had already been dismissed from service.
The investigation centers on flood control projects with a total allocation of P389.6 million, which have been flagged as potentially “ghost” or graft-ridden projects.
Issues include a lack of supporting documents, the absence of actual civil works, discrepancies in project locations, and flawed bid plans. Commission on Audit Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba has also endorsed additional fraud audit reports related to these projects in the municipalities of Plaridel, Pandi, and Bocaue.
The Ombudsman stated that the suspension is intended to prevent the suspended personnel from influencing the investigation, safeguarding public records, and ensuring that accountability measures can proceed without obstruction. This move is part of DPWH Secretary Dizon’s commitment to filing at least one corruption case per week as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) intensifies its probe into anomalous flood control projects.
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