Dizon: Henry Alcantara found guilty of disloyalty, grave misconduct

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has found former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, a key figure being probed in relation to the anomalous flood control projects, guilty of administrative offenses barring the latter from holding public office perpetually.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon: Henry Alcantara was found guilty of administrative offenses of “disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines,” grave misconduct, and was dismissed from service with perpetual disqualification to hold public office. pic.twitter.com/U6T8vxtm46

— Ted Cordero (@Ted_Cordero) September 5, 2025

In a decision dated September 4, 2025, Dizon, deciding on the administrative case filed by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, found Alcantara “guilty as charged of the administrative offenses of Disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines and to the Filipino People; Grave Misconduct; Gross Neglect in the Performance of Duty, at Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service.”

The Public Works chief slapped Alcantara with the penalty of “dismissal from the service with the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office.”

“This decision is without prejudice to the filing of separate civil or criminal charges against him and his co-conspirators,” Dizon said in his order.

The DPWH chief said Alcantara’s failure to safeguard public interest in the payment of “ghost” projects tarnished the image and integrity of the agency.

“Different social media platforms subjected DPWH to ridicule, humiliation, and disrespect. Thus, the respondent should be held liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service,” Dizon said.

Ghost project

At the House hearing on Tuesday, Alcantara admitted that he issued a certificate of completion on the P55 million flood control project in Baliwag town, which turned out to be a ghost project. 

Alcantara said he relied on his team's inspection report.

"The attachment of the certificate of completion is based on the certificate of final inspection conducted by the team,” Alcantara told the House legislators.

Alcantara also previously admitted that he used an alias and a fake ID to enter a casino despite government employees being prohibited from gambling under Administrative Code of 1987.

READ: How Henry Alcantara rose through the ranks at DPWH

During his stint as 1st district engineer, Alcantara handled 13 localities in Bulacan including the flood-prone ones such as Hagonoy, Baliwag, Calumpit, and Malolos. 

His office then had the largest project cost among the implementing offices of the DPWH. It has 450 flood control projects with a total cost of P28.9 billion from 2022 to 2025, according to data at the Sumbong ng Pangulo website. 

Under Alcantara, the reinforced concrete river wall project in Barangay Piel in Baliwag was implemented by Syms Construction Trading. This is the same project that was found to be a ghost project. 

Administrative case

Bonoan, following a conduct of an investigation, lodged an administrative cased against Alcantara due to the following findings:

• No actual project works exists despite full payment (supposed to be completed as of June. 30, 2025) of the infrastructure project entitled “Construction of Reinforced Concrete River Wall” in Purok 4, Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan
• Based on the Internal Audit Service report dated August 25, 2025 or “Construction of Flood Control Structure along Maycapiz-Taliptip Rover Package B, Brgy. Perez, Bulacan,” no structure was found despite being paid in full and having incomplete documents

“Ito ay isang babala sa mga opisyal at kawani ng DPWH na responsable sa mga ghost at substandard projects, dahil kagaya nga ng sinabi ni Pangulo, hindi natin hahayaan na hindi mapanagot ang mga tiwali sa pamahalaan,” Dizon said in a statement.

(This serves as a warning to officials and personnel of the DPWH who are responsible for ghost and substandard projects. In line with the President’s directive, we will hold the corrupt officials in the government accountable.)

Before he was relieved from his post, Alcantara was promoted to officer-in-charge in the DPWH Region 4’s Office of the Assistant Regional Director last June. 

Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon earlier said Alcantara may face plunder and other charges after he told a House congressional inquiry that he certified as complete a P55-million flood control project in Baliwag town that was later found to be non-existent. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News