Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Matugas, son face graft, malversation complaints over ‘incomplete’ P80.6-M road project

Akbayan partylist group troop to the office of the Ombudsman to award a symbolic medal of Valor to Ombudsman Conchita Morales during a gathering in front ot eh agency's gate, October 4, 2017. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Malversation and graft complaints against Surigao del Norte Representative Francisco “Lalo” Matugas and his son, former lawmaker Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II, over an allegedly incomplete P80.61-million road project are now under preliminary investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman said Friday.</p><p>Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the Ombudsman has recommended two counts of graft and one count of malversation through falsification of public documents against the Matugas father and son, several Department of Public Works and Highways officials, and personalities linked to construction firm Boometrix Development Corporation.</p><p>The graft-busting body said the project in Tuboran, Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte, was listed in DPWH records as fully completed and paid to the contractor, despite an Ombudsman site inspection in April 2026 finding that it was only 65% to 70% complete, Clavano said.</p><p>“At least P31 million was released despite its actual condition,” Clavano said.</p><p>He added that investigators also documented P457 million in loans between the former lawmakers and Boometrix, which the Ombudsman said supported its finding that the Matugas father and son had a direct financial interest in the project.</p><p>“This is what we call a conflict of interest because it is not possible that the beneficiaries of the contracts funded by Congress are also congressmen,” Clavano said.</p><p>He said the Constitution prohibits lawmakers from acting as contractors for government-funded projects.</p><p>The Ombudsman also recommended referring Lalo Matugas to the House Committee on Ethics and transmitting the complaint to the Anti-Money Laundering Council.</p><p>Clavano noted that the preliminary investigation will give the respondents an opportunity to answer the allegations.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED STORIES</strong></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/3/27/surigao-del-norte-rep-pleads-not-guilty-in-malversation-case-1705">Surigao del Norte rep pleads &#x27;not guilty&#x27; in malversation case</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/dpwh-blackists-12-contractors-dizon-2138">DPWH blacklists 12 contractors—Dizon</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/dpwh-to-complete-key-marikina-flood-control-projects-by-mid-2027-1929">DPWH to complete key Marikina flood control projects by mid-2027</a></div><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/gg3a43s4hFY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></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/v3qS0YzG5Ls?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Malversation and graft complaints against Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco “Lalo” Matugas and his son, former lawmaker Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II, over an allegedly incomplete P80.61-million road project are now under preliminary investigation.</p>

Malversation and graft complaints against Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco “Lalo” Matugas and his son, former lawmaker Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II, over an allegedly incomplete P80.61-million road project are now under preliminary investigation.