8 accused in flood control mess plead ‘not guilty’ for graft case

Eight of the accused in the flood control mess in Oriental Mindoro on Thursday pleaded "not guilty" in the graft case filed against them at the Sandiganbayan.

The eight accused who went to the 5th Division of Sandiganbayan for their arraignment were the following, as reported by Super Radyo dzBB’s Christian Maño:

• Gerald Pacanan, DPWH Regional Director
• Gene Ryan Altea, DPWH Assistant Regional Director
• Ruben D.S. Santos, DPWH Assistant Regional Director
• Dominic Serrano, DPWH Chief, Construction Division; Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Chairperson
• Felisardo Casuno, DPWH Project Engineer 3
• Lerma Cayco, DPWH Accountant IV
• Dennis Abagon, DPWH OIC-Chief, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division; Regular Member, BAC
• Engineer Montrexis Tamayo, DPWH-Mimaropa’s Planning and Design Division officer-in-charge 

DPWH Chief Maintenance Division Juliet Calvo failed to appear at the court so her arraignment has been rescheduled to December 2.

The court set the pre-conference for the graft case on January 9, 19, and 26; as well as February 5, 12, 19, and 26 in 2026. 

Meanwhile, the 6th Division of Sandiganbayan set the arraignment of the same accused for the malversation case on December 2. —Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA Integrated News