DPWH files first set of charges in flood mess
In the first criminal complaints resulting from a multi-billion corruption scandal in the country’s flood control program that erupted last month, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Thursday filed graft charges against 20 government engineers and employees, and four private contractors and their owners, including Sarah Discaya.
The officials and employees of the DPWH’s 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) in Bulacan and the contractors are also charged in the Office of the Ombudsman with malversation through falsification and violation of the government procurement law involving five riverside flood protection projects that cost more than P345.8 million.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the complaints also included several “other public officers, employees or private individuals whose identities, participation, or specific roles in the fraudulent transactions” may be revealed by further audit or investigation.
“What’s important here is for our fellow Filipinos to know that President Bongbong Marcos will not allow any of these officials go scot-free with the mess they left,” Dizon said. “And as I have said, this is just the beginning, there are more who will be held accountable in the coming days, weeks and months.”
Bulacan projects
Among the flood control projects cited were the rehabilitation of the river protection structure in Calumpit, Bulacan, that cost P96.4 million; another flood control structure also in Calumpit worth P39 million; a third flood mitigation structure in the same town worth P77 million; and the reinforced concrete river wall in Baliwag worth P55.7 million.
Other projects revealed in the complaints were the construction of slope protection, pumping stations, other flood control structures, a reinforced concrete river wall and flood gates in Malolos, Hagonoy, Bulakan and Baliwag.
These projects “show a pattern of collusion” through falsified accomplishment reports, unlawful variation orders, unsupported disbursements and the certification of “ghost, substandard or incomplete” projects, “defrauding the government of hundreds of millions of pesos,” according to the complaints.
The respondents included Henry Alcantara, the former head of Bulacan’s first DEO; Brice Hernandez, his former assistant district engineer; Jaypee Mendoza, a district construction section chief; John Michael Ramos, another district construction chief; Ernesto Galang, chief of planning and design; several project engineers; and a cashier.
Private contractors
The private contractors included sole proprietor Mark Allan Arevalo, general manager of Wawao Builders; Sally Santos, also a proprietor and general manager of SYMS Construction Trading; Robert Imperio, general manager of IM Construction Corp.; Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, general manager of St. Timothy Construction Corp.; and Discaya, the beneficial owner of St. Timothy, well-known for the more than two dozen luxury vehicles her family owned.
The case stemmed from the recently concluded Internal Audit Service’s inspection from Aug. 13 to 20.
“Its report dated August 25, 2025 revealed a consistent pattern of fraudulent misrepresentation, falsification, collusion and blatant disregard of COA (Commission on Audit) regulations across multiple contracts in order to effect the release of payments to the contractors, notwithstanding the non-performance or insufficient performance of the project,” the complaints said.
‘Easiest to prove’
Dizon said “legal luminaries” whom he did not identify and his department’s own legal team recommended filing graft cases, though the amount involved was over the minimum threshold of P50 million for plunder.
“Everyone agreed that the easiest to prove and the quickest [for conviction] are the cases we have included—these are all still nonbailable and life imprisonment,” Dizon said.
The complaints cited Republic Act No. 10951, or the law that adjusted the amount of the monetary values to an excess of P8.8 million for the penalty of reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment under the Revised Penal Code.
Each of the five projects exceeded that monetary threshold. The complaints said “the evidence of guilt is strong” and that the charges are nonbailable.
“Like the President said, holding these people accountable should be swift and all these charges were carefully studied by our legal team,” Dizon said.
“Our entire team has been sleepless for days just to prepare these cases,” he added.
Independent panel
Dizon’s appearance at the Ombudsman’s office to file the charges came a few hours before the President signed the executive order creating the independent commission that will oversee the investigation of corruption-tainted flood control and other infrastructure projects.
Once the commission is formed, Dizon said they will leave the filing of charges to it, but the DPWH would maintain its role as the “resource” for documents and other information about allegedly dubious projects.
As to whether other top officials of the DPWH, such as former secretaries, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries would also be prosecuted, he said: “Wherever the evidence will bring us.”
“We have to be consistent,” Dizon pointed out. “And I have said this before, whoever will be named from the DPWH and contractors in the ongoing investigations, will be held accountable. We will be consistent.”
