Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1760421144666cropped-G3MZpambMAAkZMt.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Department of Justice on Tuesday refers five investigation reports involving anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan to the Office of the Ombudsman. Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The Department of Justice on Tuesday referred five investigation reports on ghost flood control projects in Bulacan to the Office of the Ombudsman.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/-meron-na-ici-secures-evidence-vs-culprits-in-flood-control-corruption-1314">&#x27;Meron na&#x27;: ICI secures evidence vs culprits in flood control corruption</a></div><p>National Prosecution Service (NPS) Prosecutor-General Richard Fadullon said the investigations were focused on certain DPWH officials and contractors in Bulacan’s 1st District who were responsible for five anomalous projects.</p><p>“Ang involved dito, since sila-sila lang naman ang umaaksyon dito sa mga projects, may control sa proseso ng proyektong ito, ay yung mga district officials. District Engineers, Assistant District Engineers, Project Managers. Yun lamang po at kung sino mang contractor katuwang nila dito sa mga flood control projects,” Fadullon said. </p><p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the officials and contractors under scrutiny are also part of the Senate investigation.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/boying-remulla-is-new-ombudsman-1421">Boying Remulla is new Ombudsman</a></div><p>“Sila yung mga responsible officers in Bulacan… they are witnesses in the Senate investigation. May ginawa silang mga pag-amin at kasama na ‘yan sa mga kaso,” Remulla said.</p><p>The Ombudsman described the five cases as “low-hanging fruit” and “open-shut cases” due to the lack of actual project outputs despite disbursed funds.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/14/marcos-says-effective-flood-control-projects-still-possible-under-his-admin-1234">Marcos says effective flood-control projects still possible under his admin</a></div><p>“Ito lang kasi low-hanging fruit ito. We call these open-shut-cases. Kasi ghost eh, wala talagang nangyari, lumabas talaga ang pera, merong nakatanggap na pera at wala namang lumabas na project… pero marami pa ‘yan. Ito lang ay simula lang ng process,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;PAAKYAT&#x27;</strong></div><p>When asked whether District Engineer Henry Alcantara, Assistant District Engineers Brice Hernandez and JP Mendoza, and former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo are included in the reports, Remulla clarified that Bernardo was not yet part of the investigation.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/dpwh-s-bgc-boys-lost-p950-million-in-casinos-lacson-1547">DPWH&#x27;s &#x27;BGC Boys&#x27; lost P950 million in casinos: Lacson</a></div><p>“Hindi po umaabot kay Bernardo ito… kasi nga kulang pa sa pag-amin. At syempre ‘yan ay tinutukoy natin sa ebidensya kaya di pa natin pinipilit dito. Wala tayong pinipilit dito. Ito yung mga inaral namin since yesterday, actually nung Friday pa nung pumunta ako dito,” he said.</p><p>Remulla assured that investigations into higher-ranking officials are being prepared.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/12/the-bulacan-group-of-contractors-who-are-they-2222">The ‘Bulacan Group of Contractors’: Who are they?</a></div><p>“Marami pa tayong kinakalap na kaso na meron pong pataas. Paakyat talaga sila. Ito kasi, mabilis ito, pwedeng matapos. Pero tinatrabaho namin sabay-sabay pa ang ibang kaso,” Remulla said.</p><p>“Meron pa kaming malalaking kaso na hinahanda at meron na rin pumasok na impormasyon ngayong araw… Mainit na mainit pa nung nakita ko kanina. Ito simula lang po. The next few weeks, we will be doing this more often,” he added.</p><p>Remulla said that 10 working days may be sufficient to evaluate the reports.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CHARGES</strong></div><p>Fadullon said the proposed charges against those involved in the five Bulacan projects include malversation, falsification of public documents, perjury, and graft.</p><p>He added that the reports are based on documentary evidence gathered by NPS and the National Bureau of Investigation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/11/a-timeline-of-the-philippine-flood-control-scandal-0600">A timeline of the Philippine flood control scandal</a></div><p>“Gusto natin ipakita na yung mga alituntunin na dapat sundin sa pagproseso ng isang project ay hindi nasunod. Kasi kung ito ay nasunod, e di sana wala tayong ghost project na pinag-uusapan,” Fadullon said.</p><p>When asked whether the cases involve the borrowing of contractors’ licenses, Fadullon confirmed that they do, but he added that Waowao Builders is not yet included in the investigations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/doj-sets-ultimatum-for-tell-all-of-witnesses-in-flood-control-mess-1143">&#x27;People are impatient&#x27;: DOJ sets ultimatum for &#x27;tell all&#x27; of witnesses in flood control mess</a></div><p>“As for this time there are five cases for five different ghost projects… ang alam lang natin dito, ay pasok dito yung threshold na P150 million. We cannot give the exact details of each particular project,” Fadullon said.</p><p>&quot;Masyadong marami para pangalanan natin sila pero at this point, it would be yung sa SYMS si Sally Santos, she is the one who is more prominent dahil siya yung pinapatawag sa Senado during the investigation. Hindi pa kasama ang Wawao (Builders) dito,&quot; he added.</p><p>Senator JV Ejercito earlier recommended that Syms Construction contractor Sally Santos be placed under the DOJ&#x27;s Witness Protection Program.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sl1daHU6e7M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O0A0xtdjIIo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zgY97_qYe3Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the officials and contractors under scrutiny were also part of the Senate investigation.</p>

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the officials and contractors under scrutiny were also part of the Senate investigation.

DOJ refers 5 Bulacan 'ghost project' investigations to Ombudsman

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DOJ refers 5 Bulacan 'ghost project' investigations to Ombudsman

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 14, 2025 01:58 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 14, 2025 03:22 PM PHT

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DOJ

Ombudsman

flood control

investigation

ghost project

Department of Justice

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