At least 15 contractors are being eyed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an investigation into infrastructure projects worth P12 billion secured from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said on Monday that the inquiry is part of the bureau’s motu proprio investigation into possible irregularities in government contracts.

Santiago noted that investigators are currently tracing both the money trail and the paper trail of the projects.

The initial focus, Santiago said, is on regional directors of the DPWH, particularly in areas visited by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., where allegedly anomalous projects were flagged, particularly in Bulacan.

The NBI chief did not provide a timeline for the investigation, stressing that the probe would proceed carefully to ensure credible findings. The NBI is also coordinating with the Department of Justice, in line with the directive of President Marcos, to strengthen the investigation’s outcomes and provide concrete data to concerned national agencies.