DOJ: Complaints filed vs 2 Cebu flood control projects; preliminary probe set

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday confirmed receiving two criminal complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Cebu District Office over two Cebu flood control projects, both of which will undergo preliminary investigation.

DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez said the two subject flood control projects fall under the jurisdiction of the DPWH Cebu 3rd District Engineering Office and are located in Barangay Singsing in the municipality of Balamban, Cebu.

“The DOJ confirms that it has received two separate criminal complaints filed by the NBI Cebu District Office against 20 individuals, officials, and employees of the DPWH Cebu 3rd District Engineering Office,” Martinez said in a press conference.

He noted that the first complaint was received by the department on July 29, 2026.

According to Martinez, both complaints name the same 20 respondents and differ only in the specific flood control project involved.

“The 20 respondents are engineers and other personnel of the DPWH Cebu District Engineering Office—that's the third DEO—including some private individuals who allegedly had a hand in the bidding and implementation of the two flood control projects subject of these complaints,” Martinez said.

Both complaints allege the commission of the following seven criminal acts:

• Illegal use of public funds or property (technical malversation)
• Malversation of public funds
• Violation of Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
• Perjury
• Falsification by private individuals and use of falsified documents
• Falsification of documents by public officers

The Justice Dept. noted that the filed complaints are still subject to a preliminary investigation.

“The department wishes to stress that these are complaints for purposes of preliminary investigation at this stage. Preliminary investigation only. So no conclusive finding has been made yet,” Martinez said.

“These two complaints form part of the broader inquiry into flood control-related anomalies in the country,” he added.

The respondents will have the opportunity to submit a counter-affidavit and controvert the evidence before the Justice Department before the issuance of a resolution, according to Martinez. —RF, GMA News