Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176602719111617581085261021757992891229ALCANTARA-BRICE.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner"></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">Former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara and fomer Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </p><div><br/></div><div></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged four flood control projects in Bulacan worth more than P330.5 million after it uncovered “ghost” structures, unauthorized changes in project locations, and documentation gaps.</p><p>In a fraud audit report submitted on Wednesday to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, state auditors recommended the filing of graft, malversation of public funds, and falsification of public documents against some officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and contractor Wawao Builders.</p><p>Those implicated were DPWH engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Ernesto Galang, Jaypee Mendoza, Paul Duya, Jolo Tayao, Lemuel Roque, Sheena Morales, Jaime Hernandez, Lorenzo Pagtalunan, Emelita Morales, Paycee Dimaano, Isiah Galang, Mark Castro, and Wawao Builders representatives Mark Arevalo and John Ramos.</p><p>The audit body said those involved may also be held liable for procurement and infrastructure violations and for noncompliance with COA Circular No. 2009-001, which sets guidelines on the documentation and monitoring of government projects.</p><p>“These reports solidify our mandate to hold negligent public officials and private contractors accountable for compromised infrastructure spending,” COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba said in a statement.</p><p>Among the flagged projects is a P77.1 million flood mitigation project in Barangay Calero, Malolos City, where no structure was found at the approved site despite being recorded as finished.</p><p>Another project in Barangay Malis, Guiguinto, worth P98.9 million, was found to have been built at the wrong coordinates and showed visible cracks and defects.</p><p>A P77.1 million project in Bulusan, Calumpit, showed no signs of construction activity through drone footage, while a P77.1 million river wall in Barangay Namayan, Malolos City, was also missing from its designated area.</p><p>“DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO representatives led COA inspectors to sites that were entirely different from the locations indicated in the approved plans and contract documents,” the statement read.</p><p>“In several instances, no formal documentation or written authority was presented to justify these relocations, raising major concerns about project legitimacy,” it added.</p><p>State auditors said the findings may also be referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></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/CTz8aDj5HNQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The COA has flagged four flood control projects in Bulacan worth more than P330.5 million after it uncovered “ghost” structures, unauthorized changes in project locations, and documentation gaps.</p>

The COA has flagged four flood control projects in Bulacan worth more than P330.5 million after it uncovered “ghost” structures, unauthorized changes in project locations, and documentation gaps.

COA flags P330.5-M flood control projects in Bulacan awarded to Wawao Builders

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COA flags P330.5-M flood control projects in Bulacan awarded to Wawao Builders

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 18, 2025 11:07 AM PHT

Read More:

COA

fraud audit report

Wawao

DPWH

flood control

Ombudsman

crime

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