The Independent Commission for Infrastructure has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to file charges against former Department of Public Works and Highways officials and several personnel over the P74.1 million riverbank protection project in Hagonoy, Bulacan that government auditors found was never built. The project in Barangay Carillo was paid in full after DPWH officials certified one hundred percent accomplishment despite the absence of any structure at the approved site.
The ICI’s 19 page interim report cited illegalities and irregularities involving the contractor Darcy and Anna Builders and Trading. A technical inspection by the Commission on Audit confirmed that the project did not exist at its designated location. COA had previously flagged multiple ghost flood control projects in Bulacan worth more than P300 million and transmitted the findings to the ICI for further action.
Administrative complaints were recommended against former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and former undersecretaries Roberto Bernardo and Maria Catalina Cabral. Criminal complaints for graft, malversation and falsification were recommended against former Bulacan First District Engineering Office personnel Henry Alcantara, Brice Ericson Hernandez, Ernesto Galang, Jolo Mari Tayao, John Michael Ramos and Lemuel Ephraim Roque, along with Darcy Kimel Respecio of Darcy and Anna Builders.
“Based on the circumstances at hand, the DPWH public officials appear to have been grossly negligent, if not remiss, in the performance of their respective duties to ensure that the project was properly implemented and that government funds were properly disbursed,” the ICI said.
The Hagonoy project forms part of continuing investigations into flood control spending across Bulacan. The Ombudsman and the Department of Justice are conducting parallel reviews while COA continues to submit audit reports for additional cases nationwide.
