Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Workers shovel sand from a flooded school property to higher ground at Linagit Primary School in Barangay Meyto, Calumpit, Bulacan, on September 10, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Commission on Audit on Friday, September 26, announced it had filed fraud audit reports with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure over four flood control projects in Bulacan that were built in places other than where the project documents said they should have been.</p><p>The four projects were done by contractors SYMS Construction and Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc.</p><p>SYMS owner Sally Santos has testified at the Senate probe into corruption in flood control projects while Topnotch is sixth among 15 contractors that were awarded the most flood control projects since 2022.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/marcos-inspects-flood-control-project-in-bulacan-as-probe-intensifies-0913"><strong>Marcos &#x27;very angry&#x27; over P55-M &#x27;ghost&#x27; riverwall project in Baliuag, Bulacan</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>P92.8-M FLOOD CONTROL STRUCTURE IN PULILAN</strong></div><p>COA said it inspected the flood control structure build along Angat River and found that the Department of Public Works and Highways - Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office had &quot;pinpointed a project site different from the approved location&quot; without explanation.</p><p>Auditors added that even before the contract with SYMS took effect in February 25, a slope-protection structure &quot;already existed at the approved location&quot;, which raised the possibility of double-counted accomplishments.</p><p>COA added the district engineering office failed to submit &quot;a significant number of critical supporting documents&quot; for the project.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who COA found accountable:</strong></div><p>• Dismissed district engineer Henry Alcantara</p><p>• Dismissed assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez</p><p>• Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang</p><p>• Engineer III John Michael Ramos</p><p>• Project Engineer Lemuel Ephraim Roque</p><p>• Engineer II Jolo Mari Tayao</p><p>• SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/almost-100-of-bidding-in-flood-projects-rigged-ex-dpwh-exec-bernardo-1807"><strong>Almost 100% of bidding in flood projects &#x27;rigged&#x27;: Ex-DPWH exec Bernardo</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>P69.4-M RIVERBANK PROTECTION STRUCTURE IN PLARIDEL</strong></div><p>COA said the project at Barangay Bulihan in Plaridel, Bulacan was &quot;another mismatched project site&quot; and that a separate contractor had already put up a flood control project at the site described by project documents.</p><p>&quot;The DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO representatives said that the project site was moved to a different location. Yet, there were no supporting documents or justification to move it. COA found that the structure that was pinpointed by DPWH personnel falls short of the specifications stated for the project,&quot; the commission said in its release.</p><p>It said the district engineering office also failed to submit supporting documents and that COA had issued a Notice of Disallowance in August. A Notice of Disallowance means money spent must be returned to the government.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who COA found accountable:</strong></div><p>• Dismissed district engineer Henry Alcantara</p><p>• Dismissed assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez</p><p>• Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang</p><p>• Topnotch Catalyst president Eumir Villanueva</p><p>• Topnotch Catalyst officers, members of the board</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>P98.9-M SLOPE PROTECTION IN BARANGAY BAMBANG, BOCAUE</strong></div><p>The project was a joint venture between Topnotch Catalyst Builders and Beam Team Developer Specialist, Inc. and had a completion target of January 17, 2025.</p><p>COA said its team &quot;was led by DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO representatives to a project site which did not match the approved location&quot;, with the change not supported or justified by any documents.</p><p>&quot;COA discovered that historical satellite imagery shows that there was already an existing flood control structure on the approved project site as early as February 29, 2024,&quot; it said, adding the project attributed to the joint venture was for a separate project altogether.</p><p>The completed project &quot;did not meet the specifications of the project&quot;, either, COA said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who COA found accountable:<br/></strong></div><p>• Dismissed district engineer Henry Alcantara</p><p>• Dismissed assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez</p><p>• Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang</p><p>• Maintenance Section OIC Chief Jaime Hernandez</p><p>• Project Engineer John Carlo Rivera</p><p>• Engineer II John Michael Marcos</p><p>• Engineer II Claudine Magdalene Magsakay</p><p>• Engineer II Ericka Justine Chico </p><p>• Joint Venture representative Allan Kevin Payawal </p><p>• Joint Venture officers and board members</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>P98.9-M SLOPE PROTECTION STRUCTURE IN BARANGAY TURO, BOCAUE</strong></div><p>Implemented by a JV between Topnotch and One Frame Construction Inc., the project had a target completion date of January 17, 2025.</p><p>It was also built on a site different from the approved project site and the district engineering office could provide no documents on or explanation for the site change.</p><p>&quot;Based on available information to COA, the approved site already had an earlier existing flood control structure which could not have been built prior to the Joint Venture’s receipt of the Notice to Proceed&quot; on April 23, 2024, COA also said.</p><p>Auditors also found discrepancies between the original plan for the structure and what the JV actually built.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who COA found accountable:</strong></div><p>• Dismissed district engineer Henry Alcantara</p><p>• Dismissed assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez</p><p>• Planning and Design Section Chief Ernesto Galang</p><p>• Engineer III John Michael Ramos</p><p><strong>• </strong>Project Engineer Emelita V. Morales</p><p>• Maintenance Section OIC Chief Jaime Hernandez</p><p>• Engineer II Ericka Justine Chico </p><p>• Engineer II Isiah Lor Galang </p><p>• Joint Venture representative Gian Carlo Galang </p><p>• Joint Venture officers and board members</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/23/henry-alcantara-tags-revilla-estrada-villanueva-co-in-budget-insertions-kickbacks-1041"><strong>Ex-DPWH official Henry Alcantara tags Revilla, Estrada, Villanueva, Co in budget insertions, kickbacks<br/></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>CHARGES THOSE FOUND LIABLE COULD FACE</strong></div><p>• Violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act</p><p>• Malversation</p><p>• Falsification of Documents</p><p>• Violation of Government Procurement Reform Act</p><p>• Violation of COA Circular No. 2009-001 (re: submission of copy of government contracts, purchase orders and their supporting documents to the Commission on Audit)</p><div><br/></div><p>COA said that the list of those it found liable for the projects is only an initial one and that more names could be added as the audit progresses.</p><p>The inspections are part of an August directive for an immediate audit of flood control projects in Bulacan between July 1, 2022 and May 30, 2025.</p><p>&quot;The audit&#x27;s findings will be crucial for the ongoing investigation conducted by the ICI against those involved in irregularities in government infrastructure projects,&quot; COA said.</p>

<p>The Commission on Audit announced it had filed fraud audit reports with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure over four flood control projects in Bulacan that were built in places other than where the project documents said they should have been.</p>

The Commission on Audit announced it had filed fraud audit reports with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure over four flood control projects in Bulacan that were built in places other than where the project documents said they should have been.

COA submits fraud audit reports on Bulacan flood projects to ICI

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COA submits fraud audit reports on Bulacan flood projects to ICI

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 26, 2025 02:26 PM PHT

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Commission on Audit

Independent Commission for Infrastructure

Department of Public Works and Highways

Bulacan

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