The Office of the Ombudsman has suspended on Friday 16 officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office for six months in connection with the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Acting ombudsman Dante Vargas said the directive stemmed from the criminal complaints filed on September 15, 2025 by DPWH secretary Vince Dizon and the fraud audit reports submitted by the commission on Audit’s Fraud Audit Office (COA-FAO).
Covered by the suspension order were construction section chief John Michael Ramos; Planning and Design Section chief Ernesto Galang; Maintenance Section OIC chiefs Lorenzo Pagtalunan and Jaime Hernandez; Quality Assurance Section chief Norberto Santos; Administrative Section chief Floralyn Simbulan; Budget Unit head Roberto Roque; Procurement Unit head Benedict Matawaran; cashier Christina Mae Pineda; project engineers Paul Jayson Duya, Merg Jaron Laus, Lemuel Ephraim Roque, Arjay Domasig, John Carlo Rivera, and John Rex Francisco; and engineer Jolo Mari Tayao.
“This order is immediately executory. Notwithstanding any motion, appeal, or petition that may be filed by respondents seeking relief from this order, unless otherwise ordered by this office or any court of competent jurisdiction, the implementation of this order shall not be interrupted,” the ombudsman said.
Four other officials of the DPWH Bulacan first district engineering office, namely district engineer Henry Alcantara, assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza, and accountant Juanito Mendoza were earlier dismissed from government service, hence were no longer included in the suspension order.
Other than the DPWH executives, also named respondents in the complaint were SYMS Construction Trading represented by igeneral manager Sally Santos, Wawao Builders represented by owner Mark Allan Arevalo, St. Timothy Construction Corp. represented by general manager Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando and owner Cezarah Rowena Discaya; and IM Construction Corp represented by owner Robert Imperio.
They will also face alleged violations of the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA No. 9184).
The criminal complaints are the outcome of investigations conducted by the DPWH Internal Audit Service (IAS) that found spurious documentations, including certifications of project accomplishment project logbooks and variation orders.
The contracts already being investigated for fraud include the P96.5 million Rehabilitation of River Protection Structure along Bulusan, Calumpit, Bulacan, implemented by St. Timothy Construction Corporation; the P39.19 million Construction of Flood Control Structure at Barangay Buguion-Sergio Bayan – Balite – San Marcos – Palimbang, Calumpit, Bulacan also by St. Timothy Construction Corporation; the P77.2 million Construction of Flood Control Mitigation Structures along Barangay Frances, Calumpit, Bulacan by Wawao Builders; the P77.2 million Construction of Flood Control Mitigation Structures along Barangay Sta. Lucia, Calumpit, Bulacan also by Wawao Builders.
These contracts are also included in the investigation: the P55.73 million Construction of Reinforced Concrete River Wall at Purok 4, Barangay Piel, Baliuag, Bulacan by SYMS Construction Trading; and the Construction of Pumping Station and Flood Gate, Barangay Atlag, Malolos by IM Construction Corp.
