N. Ecija town taps NBI in ‘ghost’ projects probe
LUPAO, NUEVA ECIJA—The local government has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to uncover the individuals allegedly behind the forgery of former Mayor Alex Rommel Romano’s signature, which was used to make it appear that a Bulacan-based contractor had completed more than P198 million worth of infrastructure projects in this town.
Mayor Glenda Romano on Monday said the supposed projects were the concreting of a farm-to-market road worth P84,998,162.12; the construction of a flood control system amounting to P76,498,681.77; and the construction of a classroom worth P28,253,041.50.
The local government only became aware of these entries after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Central Office transmitted documents for verification on Sep. 4.
The packet, addressed to former Mayor Romano, the incumbent mayor’s husband and now the town’s vice mayor, and signed by Ma. Victoria Gregorio of the DPWH Procurement Service, contained multiple attachments indicating that the projects had already been completed by Topmost Construction at Barangay Tibag in Pulilan, Bulacan.
Based on the DPWH documents obtained by the Inquirer, the projects were supposedly implemented during Vice Mayor Romano’s term as mayor.
Nothing exists
The farm-to-market road was listed as having begun on Aug. 16, 2023, and completed on Feb. 12 this year; the flood control system was shown as constructed from June 30 to Oct. 27, 2023; and the classroom project supposedly started on Aug. 16, 2023, and finished on April 12, 2024.
However, Mayor Romano said the municipal government’s inspection revealed that no such projects existed anywhere in the town.
She added that the local government never processed any permits, contracts, or related documents for the alleged infrastructure works.
The photocopied documents transmitted by the DPWH carried the former mayor’s name and signature in several key papers, including a notice of award, notice to proceed, contract agreement, certificate of acceptance, and certificate of completion—raising red flags that the town officials quickly referred to investigators.
“We immediately conducted an investigation within Lupao. During our inspection, we found that none of the projects mentioned in the letter actually exists,” Mayor Romano told the Inquirer.
She added that the forged documents appeared to be “extensive,” prompting the local government to seek outside assistance.
“We are requesting that all the documents related to these supposed projects be thoroughly investigated … all these papers were fabricated, especially the signature of our former mayor,” she said.
The mayor emphasized that the local government is fully cooperating with the NBI and the DPWH to determine who orchestrated the alleged scheme and how the forged documents reached the DPWH central office.
Mayor Romano also assured residents that the municipal government was strengthening its internal verification systems to prevent similar attempts in the future.
“We want to make sure this never happens again. Integrity and transparency in public service must always be protected,” she said.
