A joint complaint-affidavit for plunder, malversation, and grave misconduct has been filed against former Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher Perze De Venecia, Sual Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay, and several other officials over alleged “ghost” flood control projects in Pangasinan.
The complaint was filed by Jaime Gutierrez Aquino, president of Samahan ng mga Traysikel ng Pangasinan, and Jubet Tampos, a tricycle driver and resident of Brgy. Dilan Paurido, Urdaneta City.
According to Aquino, the questioned projects amount to more than P286 million. One of the projects cited was the construction of a riverbank protection structure in Sitio Dalumat, which was supposedly completed on 11 November 2023.
“We took a video there in Sitio Dalumat, Santo Tomas, where their flood control system was supposedly done twice, but we saw nothing but stones alongside the dike,” Aquino said in Filipino.
Another project flagged by the complainants was the construction of a riverbank protection project in Brgy. Santo Tomas Casibong, which was reportedly completed on 18 January 2024 and linked to Calugay.
“The second project can be seen in Barangay Santo Tomas Casibong, which was initially done by the contractor couple, Liseldo Calugay and Garly, but when we took a video there, when we went to the site, we didn't see any project,” he said.
“‘The two of them contracted that. This is the picture of the project worth P50,721,000. This was done twice by two contractors—Zota Trading Construction and the construction firm of Dong Calugay,” he added.
The complainants admitted they still lack documentary evidence and are requesting assistance from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate the alleged ghost projects and secure the official files from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
