P327-M worth of Bulacan flood control projects ‘ghost’ or built elsewhere —COA

The Commission on Audit has flagged around P327 million worth of Bulacan flood control projects that are either non-existent, or built but not in the approved locations.

These findings were stated in the COA Fraud Audit report on Bulacan flood control projects.

Riverwall

State auditors said that a riverwall meant for in Barangay Pagala, Sta. 00+910 to Sta. 01+310, Baliuag, Bulacan was built somewhere else.

“During COA’s inspection last September 23, 2025 no flood control project was seen at the approved location,” COA said, calling it a flood control structure which drastically falls short of the approved plan and did not have the critical supporting documents for validation.

The P96.5-million project was built by Triple 8 Construction and Supply, Inc., which was paid in full by DPWH-Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO).

“Those found liable include Henry Alcantara, Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, Ramos, Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang, Construction Section Chief Jaypee Mendoza, Engineer Raymond Tolentino, Engineer Lorenzo Pagtalunan, Engineer Elmer Arellano, and Wilfredo Natividad of Triple 8 Construction and Supply, Inc. as well as the company’s officers and members of the board,” COA added.

SYMS Construction

State auditors said that a P92.7-million flood control structure (revetment) supposed to be in Purok 1 to Purok 2, Barangay San Roque, Baliuag, Bulacan was found in a different location.

“During COA’s inspection on September 24, 2025, no flood control structure existed at the approved location. DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO (District Engineering Office) instead pinpointed COA to a different location but offered no explanation for the change,” COA said.

“Despite this, COA proceeded to inspect the site identified by DPWH, where it found an existing structure that utterly failed to meet the project specifications,” it added.

Further, state auditors said the Department of Public Works and Highways Bulacan 1st DEO paid SYMS Construction Trading in full, even if the agency failed to submit a significant number of critical supporting documents concerning the project to COA.

“Those found liable include District Engineer Henry Alcantara, and Sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading,” COA said.

Another project which also amounts to P92.7 million, a flood control structure along Angat River in Barangay Taal, Pulilan, Bulacan, was also found by COA as non-existent.

“During COA’s inspection last September 17, 2025, DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO representatives pinpointed the project site to COA personnel, which was reported as fully paid. While the pinpointed site and the approved project location are within the same general area, COA only saw an abandoned slope protection structure,” COA said.

Likewise, state auditors said they have gathered information that the said structure already existed prior to the project’s start date, and that the DPWH did not submit supporting documents needed to validate the project.

“COA underscores that this is another ghost project,” state auditors said.

“Those found liable include District Engineer Alcantara, Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang, Engineer John Michael Ramos, Project Engineer Lemuel Ephraim SD. Roque, Engineer Jolo Mari V. Tayao, and Sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading," COA added.

Zero existence

The Riverbank Protection Structure in Barangay Bagong Silang (Purok 4), Plaridel, Bulacan is no better, since it was also found to be constructed in a mismatched project site which falls short of the approved specifications.

The P69.4-million project, built by Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc., also does not have supportive documents for validation.

“Based on these findings, COA takes this to mean that the fully paid flood control project does not exist. Those found liable include: District Engineer Alcantara, Assistant District Engineer Hernandez, Design Section Chief Galang, Construction Section Chief Mendoza, Engineer Ramos, Engineer Irene DC. Otingco, Engineer Joshua Blitz Roxas, Engineer Bernardo Villafuerte, and Eumir Villanueva of Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc., as well as the company’s officers and members of the board,” COA said.

Overall, COA said the abovementioned individuals involved may face charges for graft malversation of public funds, falsification of public documents as well as u violations of COA Circular No. 2009-001 and the Government Procurement Reform Act. — BM, GMA Integrated News