DPWH engineer ‘got cash inside boxes of groceries’
Aside from handling and delivering documents, Monica said she was present in instances when cash — concealed in boxes of groceries — was handed over to Hernandez at his office.
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Aside from handling and delivering documents, Monica said she was present in instances when cash — concealed in boxes of groceries — was handed over to Hernandez at his office.
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Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer Brice Hernandez allegedly received millions of pesos in cash delivered inside boxes of groceries, a liaison officer of SYMS Construction and Trading testified on Monday.
In her testimony before the Sandiganbayan Third Division during the bail hearing on the malversation case against former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Monica Ocampo-Santos said she had been working for SYMS since 2021, after being appointed by her aunt and company owner, Sally Santos.
Ocampo-Santos said she was assigned as a liaison officer coordinating with the DPWH office in Bulacan, particularly with Hernandez.
She told the court that Hernandez, along with other DPWH officials Henry Alcantara, Jaypee Mendoza and Juanito Mendoza, stood as godparents at her wedding upon the recommendation of Santos.
Aside from handling and delivering documents, Monica said she was present in instances when cash — concealed in boxes of groceries — was handed over to Hernandez at his office.
One of the deliveries, she said, amounted to P299 million in March 2025.
The funds were reportedly intended for infrastructure projects secured using SYMS’s contractor license.
Contractor legitimacy
As questions centered on allegations that SYMS had “lent” its license, Associate Justice Ronald Moreno asked if the company was a legitimate contractor.
“Can we say that SYMS is a legitimate contractor?” Moreno asked.
“Yes, your honor,” Ocampo-Santos replied.
She said that one of SYMS’s recent projects was a multi-purpose building in Borol, Balagtas, costing about P19 million.
She admitted, however, that she had never personally seen any of the company’s completed projects throughout her years of working there, saying that it was not part of her duties.
Revilla out sick
Prior to Monday’s hearing, Revilla was excused from the court proceedings after he reportedly fell ill.
According to his legal counsel, the former senator woke up feeling dizzy and suffering from a migraine headache.
His status was listed as day-to-day, with no confirmation on whether he would attend the next hearing on Tuesday.
