The DPWH is seeking charges against Romualdez, 86 others in the flood control scandal
By Ashley Erika O. Jose, A reporter again Erika Mae P. Sinaking
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS (DPWH) has recommended the filing of criminal charges against 87 people for irregularities in flood control projects, including Leyte Rep. and former House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez and retired Party List Representative.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon on Thursday said the agency, along with the Independent Infrastructure Commission (ICI) and the Department of Justice, are recommending cases of robbery, malpractice, jumping and bribery.
“The DPWH and the ICI, together with the Department of Justice, recommended charges against 87 people,” he told the media.
In this list there is also former Secretary of Public Works Manuel M. Bonoan; DPWH Undersecretaries Roberto R. Bernardo and Maria Catalina E. Cabral; Chiefs Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva and Jose P. Ejercito Estrada, Jr.; former Senator Ramon B. Revilla, Jr.; Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario G. Lipana; and contractor Cesarah C. Discaya.
Mr. Romualdez, through his spokesman Abdiel Dan Elijah S. Fajardo, said the transfer of ICI does not include any findings or conclusion of the case.
“We note the statement of the DPWH secretary,” he said in a statement. “However, it is important to clarify that the ‘recommendation’ of the DPWH is not a finding, let alone a decision.”
“It is not true that the ICI suggested to the Ombudsman that former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez be charged with robbery or other serious crimes related to flood control or the 2025 budget issue,” he added.
Mr. Fajardo said Mr. Romualdez respects the institution’s procedures and is confident that the Office of the Ombudsman will independently evaluate the recommendations.
“We respect due process and we will wait for the Ombudsman to independently assess the submissions based on evidence, not press conference hearsay,” he said.
Mr. Dizon said that administrative action has been taken within the agency, and a total of 90 DPWH employees have been dismissed or suspended as the investigation continues.
Authorities are also freezing an estimated P13 billion in assets linked to the investigation, including 4,679 bank accounts, 283 insurance policies, 255 vehicles, 178 real estate properties, 16 wallet accounts and three securities accounts, according to the DPWH.
The investigation followed an order by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in his July 28 national address to fully review flood control projects over the past three years. The President had said that approximately R100 billion of the P545 billion allocated for flood control projects starting in 2022 was confined to only 15 contractors.
Mr. Dizon said the DPWH is working with several agencies as the investigation continues. He added that the agency and ICI plan to submit more cases to the ombudsman in January, including findings related to flood control projects in Cebu that were linked to severe flooding during Typhoon Tino.
“In January, we will have our report ready… The number of cases will increase,” he said.
As part of the internal reforms, he said the DPWH will conduct a major recruitment drive next year to bring in new engineers and accountants. “The future of DPWH will be in new blood.”
PHOTOGRAPHS OF COAs
Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit (CoA) has filed four fraud audit reports covering flood control projects in Bulacan worth a combined P330.51 million, citing irregularities in the works carried out by the DPWH-Bulacan First District Engineering Office and awarded to a private construction company.
In a statement, the CoA said the reports were forwarded on Wednesday to ICI for criminal, civil and administrative action, including possible referral to the Office of the Ombudsman.
The fraud study involves four flood control and riverbank protection projects to be implemented from July 2022 to May 2025.
The CoA said the audit found that in many cases, audit teams were brought to project areas different from those specified in the approved plans, without written authority or different authorized orders to approve changes.
Technical evaluations, satellite images, and document reviews showed significant gaps in project implementation and documentation, the commission said.
“These reports strengthen our mission to hold negligent government officials and private contractors accountable for spending money on vulnerable infrastructure,” said CoA Chairman Gamaliel A. Cordoba in a statement.
One of the flagged projects was the construction of a P77.2-million riverbank protection building in Calero village, Malolos City, where inspectors did not find the building in the approved area.
Another P99 million riverbank protection project in Malis, Guiguinto, the CoA says was built in a different area from what was approved. The inspectors also observed visible cracks, the absence of acceptance certificates and the lack of a good strategy covering all river flood control activities in the area.
The P77.2-million flood mitigation project along the Bulusan River in Calumpit was also cited, after auditors did not find a slope protection structure at the approved site despite reports showing complete completion.
In Namayan Village, Malolos City, the P77.12-million riverbank protection project did not show a building in the approved area after the contract expired. The CoA said the structure later identified by DPWH staff was built without authority.
A total of 16 people may be held responsible for the irregularities, including DPWH engineering and project personnel and representatives of the private contractor that handled the four projects, it said.
The CoA said those involved may face charges of corruption, misappropriation of public funds, falsification of documents and violation of procurement laws.
The audit results add to the growing scrutiny of flood control projects across the country, as authorities step up vigilance following allegations of misuse of public funds in infrastructure projects.
