District engineer guilty as administratively charged, banned from public office - DPWH

Metro Manila, Philippines - Controversial Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara is guilty of multiple administrative cases and is banned from public office over his involvement in questionable flood control projects, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Friday, Sept. 5.

In a seven-page decision, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Alcantara committed the following offense:

+ Disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines and to the Filipino people;

+ Grave misconduct;

+ Gross neglect in the performance of duty;

+ Conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service

The complaint was filed by former agency chief Manny Bonoan, who quit last week amid the flood control scandal.

The decision cited two projects in Bulacan, in particular in the municipalities of Baliuag and Bulakan, which were deemed completed but turned out non-existent.

The DPWH said aside from a perpetual ban from holding public office, Alcantara’s retirement benefits will be forfeited.

The agency said the decision was the basis for Alcantara’s dismissal, which took effect Sept. 4.

“Ito ay isang babala sa mga opisyal at kawani ng DPWH na responsable sa mga ghost at substandard projects, dahil kagaya nga ng sinabi ni Pangulo, hindi natin hahayaan na hindi mapanagot ang mga tiwali sa pamahalaan,” Dizon said in a press release.

[Translation: This is a warning to the officials and personnel of the DPWH who are responsible for ghost and substandard projects, because as the President has said, we will not allow corrupt individuals in the government to go unpunished.]

The secretary added that criminal complaints will soon be filed against Alcantara.

Administrative and criminal cases are also being prepared against other Bulacan district engineers, namely, Jaypee Mendoza and Brice Hernandez, over their involvement in so-called ghost projects.