MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has officially flagged four major flood control projects in Bulacan totaling more than P325 million, citing evidence of “ghost” structures, unauthorized relocations, and fraudulent payments.
Using a combination of drone surveillance, geotagged photography, and historical satellite imagery, state auditors revealed that several multi-million peso projects either did not exist at all or were claimed as “100% complete” despite being located hundreds of meters away from their approved sites. In one particularly egregious case, the government allegedly paid for a structure that had already existed for nearly a year before the contract was even signed.
The “Ghost” Projects Breakdown The Fraud Audit Reports (FARs) submitted to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) focused on projects under the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office. Key findings include:
- Hagonoy (P77.19M): No structure was found at the designated site. DPWH officials pointed to a structure nearly 700 meters away to justify the spending.
- Malolos City (P74.12M): Auditors found that the riverbank protection structure identified by the DPWH was actually built almost a year before the contract with Darcy and Anna Builders & Trading took effect.
- Guiguinto (P96.49M): The structure was not built at the approved site and appeared to have been relocated without any legal authority.
- Calumpit (P77.19M): Auditors noted serious inconsistencies in measurements and markings that belonged to an entirely different contract.
Accountability and Potential Charges The COA has named several DPWH officials and contractor representatives who should be held liable for the anomalies. Among those listed are Henry C. Alcantara, Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza, alongside representatives from Wawao Builders and Darcy and Anna Builders & Trading.
The individuals involved are facing a litany of potential charges, including graft and corruption, malversation of public funds, and falsification of public documents. Auditors also highlighted a complete lack of essential documentation, such as as-built plans, geotechnical reports, and verified statements of work accomplished.
This report adds more fuel to the ongoing national firestorm surrounding infrastructure corruption, which has already led to high-profile surrenders and a sweeping review of the country’s flood mitigation strategy.