P299M in cash delivered in boxes at Brice Hernandez' DPWH office —witness

An employee of contractor SYMS Construction on Monday testified that she delivered P299 million cash in grocery boxes to the office of then Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez.

The amount was for the supposed construction of five government contracts won by SYMS on a license it lent to Hernandez. 

Monica Ocampo-Santos, SYMS liaison officer, told the Sandiganbayan that the P299 million includes the P74 million that Hernandez got out of the P92.8 million alleged ghost project in Pandi, Bulacan which is the subject of the malversation case against former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Hernandez, and five other DPWH officials.

Asked how the money was delivered, Ocampo-Santos said: "Nasa kahon po ng grocery...sa sahig po [nilapag]...sa gilid ng lamesa ni Engr. Brice. Binubuksan po, naka-bundle na tig-1,000." 

Ocampo-Santos, who is the niece-in-law of state witness and SYMS Construction owner Sally Santos, said they utilized used boxes of soy sauce, junk foods, noodles, and coffee.

"May amount sa taas [ng kahon] magkano [ang] laman ng isang box, bibilangin per bundle [ni Engr. Brice]," Ocampo-Santos said.

Asked by the Sandiganbayan justices what the huge amount of delivery was for, she replied: "Para po sa construction ng projects na [nakuha dahil sa] hiniram [na lisensiya] ni Engr. Brice for SYMS." 

Ocampo-Santos also showed screenshots of her May 19, 2025 conversation with Hernandez confirming that the delivery of P299 million to Hernandez will commence on May 20 in the afternoon.

The conversation featured Ocampo-Santos telling Hernandez, "Ninong, andiyan po ba kayo ng hapon [bukas] para sa collection ng limang partial [payment]."

Hernandez replied, "Yes, inaanak."

Ocampo-Santos then said, "okay po, Ninong. Sasabihin ko po kay Tita Sally."

SYMS Construction liason officer Monica Ocampo-Santos testifies she delivered P299 million cash to then DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO Asst. District Engineer Brice Hernandez for construction of five projects secured by SYMS for allowing Hernandez to borrow its license @gmanews pic.twitter.com/mEVSMZ7whd

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) April 20, 2026

Atty. Jo Ellaine Collado, counsel for Hernandez, asked Ocampo-Santos if she was instructed to nail Hernandez alone.

Government prosecutor Iris Pozon objected the question, prompting Collado to withdraw the motion. 

During the same hearing, Ocampo-Santos said Hernandez, state witness and former Bulacan First District Engineering Office District Engineer Henry Alcantara, as well DPWH Bulacan First DEO officials Juanito Mendoza and JP Mendoza, all stood as principal sponsors during her wedding with Santos' nephew.

The enlistment of DPWH officials as their wedding godfather, Ocampo-Santos said, was made on the request of her Tita Sally.

The location of the subject P92.8 million Pandi flood control project in the malversation case against Revilla had no visible structure and had barely visible and rusting sheet piles. —AOL, GMA News