THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Thursday filed two verified complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman involving over P270 million worth of allegedly substandard and ghost infrastructure projects in La Union and Davao Occidental.
The cases, endorsed by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), accuse 20 incumbent DPWH officials and two construction firms of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said the complaints would “go straight to preliminary investigation” without the need for further fact-finding, citing the completeness of the evidence submitted.
“This fact-finding is a verified petition fed with all the documents,” Mr. Remulla said. “It was the Secretary of Public Works who brought it here, and it was also vetted by the ICI. There’s already a presumption that all of these have undergone complete scrutiny.”
The first complaint involves a P96.5-million project in Davao Occidental, which investigators found to be substandard though fully paid. Mr. Remulla said it was implemented by a firm whose beneficial owner is alleged to be a lawmaker.
Mr. Remulla said the lawmaker was not among the respondents of the case, but there is “reason to suspect” continued beneficial interest by the lawmaker despite reported divestment. “So there’s a clear case of conflict of interest, also punishable under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”
The second complaint covers a P179.5-million project in La Union, split into two contracts.
The project has been linked to St. Timothy Construction, identified in ICI records as having been owned by Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya. Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said the project was “totally (a) ghost project” — fully paid for but never built.
“It was awarded in 2022 and supposed to be completed that same year,” Mr. Dizon said. “But according to residents and the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), it was never built. Construction only started last August, three years after the supposed completion.”
Mr. Remulla said the Anti-Money Laundering Council has been asked to trace a P70-million bank-to-bank transfer allegedly made by Ms. Discaya to accounts linked to lawmakers identified as persons of interest.
“Discaya was the one who sent the money,” Mr. Remulla said, adding that investigators will determine whether the transfers are connected to other contracts involving the company during the period in question.
The Ombudsman is also preparing to seek a freeze order against a lawmaker identified as a person of interest in the probe.
“We will be asking for a freeze order because he’s already a person of interest.”
The Ombudsman also plans to pursue parallel civil forfeiture actions and Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth investigations against implicated individuals.
“We’re looking at about sixty days to complete that,” Mr. Remulla said.
Mr. Remulla clarified that Ms. Discaya has not been charged; she was named in the filings as a beneficiary based on banking and company records. “She’s not yet included in the case, only named as a beneficiary.”
Mr. Dizon said most of the DPWH officials named as respondents in the complaints are district-level implementers. “These are below P150 million, so all bidding and implementation happened at the district level.”
He added that the roster could expand as new evidence emerges. “No politicians have been formally charged so far,” Mr. Dizon said, “but that could change once evidence develops.”
Thursday’s filing marks the fourth set of complaints transmitted to the Ombudsman since the DPWH and ICI began flood control investigations. Mr. Dizon said more filings are expected in the coming weeks as the agencies continue their review of 421 flagged projects nationwide. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking
