Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) on Thursday said contractors who agree to act as losing bidders to make rigged biddings appear legitimate will also face fines, as the agency investigates alleged irregularities in flood control projects.PCC Chairman Michael Aguinaldo said the anti-trust body is now looking into establishing the supposed connections or “agreements” between competing bidders in the bid-rigging cases referred by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) early this month. If found guilty, the PCC may impose a fine of P110 million for the first offense and up to P250 million for subsequent offenses. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/12/how-bids-are-rigged-in-flood-control-projects-a-former-contractor-speaks-2005" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How bids are rigged in flood control projects: a former contractor speaks</a></div>“What the law penalizes is agreement between bidders so it’s not just the winning bidder who gets fined, pati yung mga kakuntsaba niya… It’s undergoing investigation and evidence-gathering,” said Aguinaldo, during the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the DPWH.The cases referred to by the DPWH involves officials and contractors behind the alleged ghost and substandard flood control projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro.For Bulacan, the parties are: Wawao Builders, IM Construction Corporation, SYMS Construction Trading, the Discaya-owned St. Timothy Construction Corporation and officials and employees of the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office. In Mindoro: Sunwest, Inc, which was founded by resigned congressman Elizaldy Co, and officials and employees of the DPWH Regional Office IV-B.“What I heard from our enforcement office is they are looking at anyone who facilitated that as well kasi parang conspiracy… Hindi lang po BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) ang posibleng masali dyan, if evidence is there pwedeng higher,” said Aguinaldo.Aguinaldo could not give a timeline on when these will be resolved but he assured the public that they are prioritizing the flood control cases.DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the fines to be imposed against those found guilty of bid-rigging is another way of recovering ill-gotten funds, aside from forfeiture and restitution.He added that it is also possibly quicker to process since less evidence is needed to prove the crime.Meanwhile, the DPWH and PCC also inked an agreement to strengthen coordination in promoting fair competition and integrity in public infrastructure procurement.The agreement outlines mechanisms for joint investigations, case referrals, and data sharing to detect and prevent anti-competitive practices such as bid-rigging.“Itong paglagda ng MOA na ito is a sign of how serious the government is, under the directives of the President himself, to ensure that not only the people will get their money back through the various cases that we filed but more importantly para hindi na maulit ito,” said Dizon.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) on Thursday said contractors who agree to act as losing bidders to make rigged biddings appear legitimate will also face fines, as the agency investigates alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) on Thursday said contractors who agree to act as losing bidders to make rigged biddings appear legitimate will also face fines, as the agency investigates alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

PCC: 'Losing' rigged bidders in flood control anomalies to also face penalties

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PCC: 'Losing' rigged bidders in flood control anomalies to also face penalties

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 24, 2025 01:01 AM PHT

Read More:

flood control

contractor

PCC

DPWH

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