The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO), long under scrutiny, is facing fresh allegations as the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged four flood control projects worth nearly P344.35 million for major irregularities. 

The reports, filed with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), cite missing structures, wrong locations, and even “ghost” projects.

“These new filings are part of COA’s continuing efforts to hold erring officials and contractors accountable for the misuse of public funds,” the agency said on Wednesday.

COA’s inspection of the projects, which involve riverbank protection structures across Bulacan, revealed systemic irregularities including mismatched project sites, redundant or pre-existing structures, and “ghost” projects where no flood control work was observed. 

The audit named several DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO officials as liable, including Engineer Henry C. Alcantara, Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, and other key engineers and section chiefs. The audit body said they failed to provide critical supporting documents, including paid Disbursement Vouchers, for validation.

Contractors’ representatives from SYMS Construction Trading, M3 Konstract Corporation, Elite General Contractor & Development Corporation, and WAWAO Builders were also cited.

In the case of SYMS Construction Trading, COA found that the approved site at Barangay San Roque, Baliuag, had no flood control structure, while DPWH pointed auditors to a different location where an existing structure stood.

M3 Konstract Corporation’s project at the same barangay was found to have an existing defective structure instead of the approved new project. 

At Barangay Santol, Balagtas, Elite General Contractor & Development Corporation’s project appeared to overlap with a pre-existing riverbank protection structure evident just 22 days after the project was awarded, and the structure was split into sections that could not be attributed to the contract. 

WAWAO Builders’ project at Barangay Caingin, Malolos City, was found 148.8 meters short of the agreed 203.2-meter length, and no structure was observed at the DPWH-pinpointed location despite the project being tagged as complete.

“These audit findings will aid the ICI in its investigation of irregularities in government infrastructure projects. More individuals may be held liable as the audit progresses and new information becomes available,” COA said.

The filings are part of 29 fraud audit reports COA has transmitted to oversight bodies, including nine previously filed with the Office of the Ombudsman and eight with the ICI.