Eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Occidental District Engineering Office and a private contractor have been charged with graft and malversation before the Office of the Ombudsman over the ghost flood control project discovered in Jose Abad Santos town.

DPWH filed the complaints against DPWH Davao Occidental District Engineer Rodrigo Larete, OIC Assistant District Engineer Michael Awa, OIC Chief of Construction Section Engineer Joel Lumogdang, Project Engineer Harold John Villaver, Quality Assurance Section Chief Engineer Jafael Faunillan, Planning and Design Section Chief Engineer Ranulfo Flore, Finance Section Acting Chief Engineer Czar Ryan Ubungen, as well as St. Timothy Construction Corporation represented by Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando and Cezarah Rowena Discaya.

DPWH will also begin the administrative dismissal proceedings against the concerned officials.

The Ombudsman is also set to investigate their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

It can be recalled that DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon revealed the discovery of the P96.5 million ghost project in Jose Abad Santos in late September 2025.

“District level below P150 million ‘yung mga proyekto. Ang ibig sabihin nun lahat nung mga bidding, lahat ng pag-implement kuno ng mga proyekto, ‘yung pagbayad sa mga kontratista ay nangyari sa level ng district engineering office. Lahat ang pagbayad, ang pag-approve, pag-certify, lahat ng ‘yan nangyari. So, ‘yun muna ang initial na pwede nating kasuhan dahil ‘yun ang pinapakita sa atin ng ebidensya,” Dizon said.

Dizon added that more personalities inside and outside the agency could be included once additional evidence and testimonies are gathered.

“We will look into the allegations that the Claude Bautista, the Congressman from there at that time, is a beneficial owner of the construction company,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla added.