9 DPWH execs plead not guilty to malversation
Nine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials tagged in an allegedly anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division on Tuesday.
The DPWH officials from Region 4-B (Mimaropa) were identified as Dennis Pelo Abagon, Gerald Pacanan, Gene Ryan Alurin Altea, Ruben delos Santos Jr., Dominic Gregorio Serrano, Felisardo Sevare Casuno, Lerma Dotado Cayco, Engr. Montrexis Tamayo and Juliet Calvo.
Along with former Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co who remains at large, they were charged with violating Articles 217 and 171 of the Revised Penal Code (malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents).
Based on the reamended information filed by government prosecutors before the Sandiganbayan, the DPWH-Mimaropa officials and executives of Sunwest Corp., a construction company linked to Co, committed malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.
Conspiracy
Between March 2024 and June 2025, the accused supposedly conspired to divert more than P215 million in DPWH funds for a road dike project in Oriental Mindoro by falsifying disbursement documents, including at least one disbursement voucher that allowed government money to be illegally released to the contractor.
Last week, eight of the DPWH officials except for Calvo pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of graft filed against them before the Fifth Division over the same project.
Calvo entered the same plea during her arraignment on Tuesday and posted a cash bond of P90,000. All nine DPWH officials are currently under government custody.
