DPWH blacklists 2 contractors, sacks district engineer
Metro Manila, Philippines - Two contractors involved in alleged anomalous flood control initiatives will be banned from taking on government projects, while the process has begun for the dismissal of a number of public works engineers who signed off on so-called ghost projects.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced this on Thursday, Sept. 4, during his inspection of a river protection wall in Brgy. Sipat in Plaridel, Bulacan, which was listed as completed but remained unfinished.
Dizon said he is ordering a lifetime ban on Wawao Builders, the contractor of the P96.5-million flood control structure. The construction firm is one of the 15 companies named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that cornered most of the projects.
The secretary said the company’s affiliates, who have yet to be named, will be banned as well.
In his visit, Dizon discovered through accounts of residents and a village official that construction activity on the river wall only began three weeks ago. The report of the DPWH Bulacan first district engineering office stated that the project was finished in June 2024.
He said the river wall was supposed to be constructed for 270 days, but the DPWH report stated it was completed in just three months; apparently, the government paid Wawao Builders a month after the supposed completion or in July 2024.
“Patay na pinipilit buhayin kasi nabayaran na siya e nung last year, sabi dito ng DPWH. Pero siguro three weeks ago, umiinit nag-iimbestiga na ang Senado, nag-iimbestiga na ang Kongreso nagalit ang pangulo pinipilit buhayin ‘yung patay. Wala na ‘to. Ghost project eto, e klarong klaro,” said Dizon.
[Translation: It's already dead, but they're trying to revive it because it was already paid for last year, according to the DPWH. But maybe around three weeks ago, things started heating up. The Senate began investigating, Congress began investigating, and the president got angry. Now they're trying to revive what's already dead. This is a ghost project - it's very clear.]
The DPWH chief also urged Mark Arevalo, general manager of Wawao Builders, to turn himself in, after lawmakers said he could just be a dummy used by the construction firm.
Arevalo attended the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Sept. 1. He invoked his right to self-incrimination, when pressed by senators whether he had ghost projects.
Meanwhile, Dizon also ordered a lifetime ban against Syms Construction Trading, the contractor of the ghost project in Baliuag, Bulacan, inspected by Marcos in August.
“We will also recommend the filing of charges with the DOJ against Wawao Builders and against Syms and all the people involved here. Both those who are clearly dummies and the real owners, or the beneficial owners depending on investigation of the DOJ and later on the independent commission,” he said.
District engineer sacked
In a related development, Dizon ordered the dismissal of Bulacan district engineers involved in questionable projects.
He said effective Thursday, Sept. 4, Henry Alcantara, assistant regional director and former district engineer, is dismissed for clearing non-existent projects.
Alcantara has approved the P55-million river wall in Baliuag and the P96.5 million project in Plaridel.
Dizon said he will also ask his agency’s legal team to recommend charges against Alcantara before the Ombudsman.
He said dismissal proceedings will begin as well against two district engineers, namely, Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, who signed off on the ghost project in Plaridel.
The three DPWH officials are on the immigration lookout bulletin order released by the Justice Department.
“This is criminal. Mga hayop tong taong to. ‘Di tao to,” said Dizon.
[Translate: This is criminal. These people are animals. They're not humans.]
