The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday cited former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara in contempt for allegedly lying about his role in anomalous Bulacan flood control projects.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo moved to cite Alcantara in contempt after the former district engineer denied involvement in ghost flood control projects and blamed his deputy, Brice Hernandez.
Alcantara was questioned about allegations from contractor SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos, who claimed engineers Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza forced her to lend her firm’s license for a “ghost” project in Bulacan.
Responding to Santos’s testimony, Hernandez implicated three engineers—Mendoza, Alcantara, and Paul Duya—in the non-existent project.
Hernandez said the funding for the ghost project was split, with “Boss Henry” (Alcantara) receiving 40%, and Mendoza, Duya, and himself each getting 20%.
Alcantara denied Hernandez’s claim, citing Santos’s testimony that she had only dealt with his staff and never with him directly.
He said he only learned of the ghost projects after a new construction chief exposed the scheme to him.
Alcantara told senators he only submitted a “wish list” for flood control projects and was not involved in their funding.
Accusing Alcantara of lying across two hearings, Sen. Erwin Tulfo moved to have him held in contempt.
“Dalawang hearing na itong nagsisinungaling. Sa mga tao mo sa baba, lahat may kasalanan, ikaw wala? (You have been lying for two hearings already. All your subordinates are at fault, but you are innocent?),” Tulfo said.
