CoA files fraud reports over 'anomalous' Bulacan flood control projects

The Commission on Audit (CoA) has filed four Fraud Audit Reports with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, exposing widespread irregularities totaling more than P297 million in flood control projects in Bulacan.

The projects, implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office, and awarded to Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction & Trading, were found to contain serious and recurring signs of misuse of public funds, the CoA said.

The new fraud reports reinforce the audit agency’s commitment to holding negligent public officials and private contractors accountable for compromised infrastructure spending, according to CoA chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba.

CoA’s technical inspections, satellite imagery review and fraud audit procedures revealed significant issues across the four projects.

Among the critical findings were instances of "ghost projects," where CoA found no concrete flood-mitigation or slope-protection structures at the approved sites, despite project documents claiming 100% completion.

In other cases, representatives of the DPWH–Bulacan 1st DEO led CoA inspectors to sites entirely different from the locations specified in approved plans and contract documents.

The audit noted that, in several instances, no formal documentation or written authority was presented to justify these unauthorized relocations, raising major concerns about the legitimacy of the work.

Furthermore, at some approved locations, auditors found riverbank or flood control structures that already existed years prior to the questioned projects’ award or implementation.

The CoA said this suggests the government may have paid millions for pre-existing structures that could not be attributed to the new contracts.

Material deficiencies were also noted across supporting project documents, including Statements of Work Accomplished and As-Built Plans, effectively undermining the credibility of reported accomplishments and payments.

The projects under scrutiny include the construction of flood mitigation structures at Barangay San Nicolas in Hagonoy, Bulacan worth P77,199,997.92 to Wawao Builders; the construction of riverbank protection structure at Barangay Iba in Hagonoy also to Wawao Builders; the Cconstruction of Flood Control Structure along Guiguinto River, Malis Section, Guiguinto, Bulacan (P96,499,968.29) to Wawao Builders and the construction of Flood Control Structure along Barangay Virgen Delos Flores, Sta. Barbara and Tiaong, Baliuag, Bulacan (P49,498,039.75) to a joint venture of Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction and Trading.

The CoA has named multiple individuals as potentially liable for the irregularities, including several engineers from the DPWH–Bulacan 1st DEO: Henry C. Alcantara, Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, Jaypee D. Mendoza, Ernesto C. Galang, Paul Jayson F. Duya, Jolo Mari V. Tayao, Mark Lester S. Castro, John Michael E. Ramos, Lemuel Ephraim SD Roque, Sheena Bernadette B. Morales, and Rafaelito M. Marcelo.

Also named were representatives from the private contractors, including Mark Allan V. Arevalo of Wawao Builders and Sally N. Santos of SYMS Construction and Trading.

The fraud reports are part of a wider investigation into flood control projects in Bulacan, initiated by Cordoba’s 12 August 2025, directive ordering an immediate fraud audit of DPWH flood control projects in the province from 1 July 2022, to 30 May 2025.

"Our audit aims to ensure that every peso is allocated to genuine, functioning infrastructure that effectively protects vulnerable communities from flooding," Cordoba said.

The individuals involved may face charges for graft and corruption under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as for malversation and falsification of documents under the Revised Penal Code.

The CoA said it will continue to submit additional reports to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure as its investigation proceeds.