Philippines Charges Filed in Major Flood Control Scandal – Hear’s What You Need to Know
Manila, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) today, September 11th, filed criminal complaints with the Office of the Ombudsman against former public works officials and contractors involved in a significant flood control scandal. The charges center around alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation through falsification of public documents, and breaches of the Government Procurement Act.
The complaint focuses on five anomalous flood control projects located in Malolos, Hagonoy, Bulakan, and Baliwag, all within the province of Bulacan.DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon explained the decision to pursue charges of graft, rather than the more serious charge of plunder, stating that proving graft is a more streamlined and expeditious legal process. Plunder requires demonstrating ill-gotten wealth exceeding 50 million pesos personally acquired by the accused.
who is Facing Charges?
The list of those implicated includes:
Sarah Discaya & Ma.Roma Angeline Rimando (St. Timothy Construction) – Their companies were recently barred from government procurement. Sarah Discaya is identified as the “beneficial owner” of St. timothy.
Mark Arevalo (Wawao builders) - Previously flagged for “ghost projects” and now perpetually disqualified from DPWH contracts.
Sally Santos (SYMS Construction Trading) – Also flagged for ghost projects and disqualified from bidding.
Robert Imperio (IM Construction Corporation)
Former DPWH Engineers: Henry Alcantara (previously dismissed for signing completion certificates for non-existent projects),Brice Hernandez,and Jaypee Mendoza.
The Allegations: A System of Control and cuts
Testimony during a recent congressional probe revealed a disturbing pattern of control exerted by Bulacan DPWH engineers. sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading admitted her company was essentially a front, with engineers handling all aspects of the projects while she received a 3% cut. She testified to delivering boxes of money to Hernandez, wich were then allegedly collected by alcantara – a claim Alcantara denies.
When SYMS was unable to qualify for larger projects, Santos utilized the license of Mark Arevalo, paying him a 2.8% cut while continuing to act as a middleman for the engineers. This highlights a systematic scheme where licenses were leveraged and funds were diverted through a network of individuals and companies.
This is a developing story. World-Today-News.com* will continue to provide updates as they become available.
[Link to related article on DPWH syndicate – if available]
