The Department of Agriculture (DA) filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday morning against several public works officials and private contractors over alleged irregularities involving eight “ghost” farm-to-market road (FMR) projects in Davao Occidental valued at approximately P94 million.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. led the filing of the complaints, which accuse the respondents of corrupt practices, malversation, falsification of public documents, grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

Laurel said the department remains committed to ensuring accountability and transparency in the use of public funds, particularly in programs intended to benefit farmers and rural communities.

One complaint names Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Occidental district engineer Rodrigo C. Larete, project engineer and OIC-chief of Construction Section Joel M. Lumogdang, OIC-assistant district engineer Michael P. Awa, quality assurance officer Jafel C. Faunillan  and acting finance chief Czar Ryan S. Ubungen. It also names private contractor Leonila P. Urgel of RDF Construction and Supply.

This specific case involves an P11.94 million farm-to-market road project in Barangay Caburan, Jose Abad Santos. The Agriculture department alleged the project was fully paid for despite never being implemented.

According to the complaint, the respondents allegedly falsified statements of work accomplished, certificates of payment and disbursement vouchers to make the project appear completed and facilitate the release of public funds.

A second complaint was filed against the same public works officials and Masulot Construction, represented by Maligamama L. Medtamak, over the P11.92-million Barangay Caburan small farm-to-market road project under the agriculture department’s development program.

The agency alleged the project was falsely certified as complete, even though a field validation by the department’s Internal Audit Service showed it had not been built.

Additional complaints involve Larete, Lumogdang, Awa, Faunillan, Ubungen, and an official identified as Villaver.

These complaints also name contractors Florentino D. Pesigan Jr. of YPR General Contractor, Abdulaziz U. Kadil of Al Handasa Construction, Marivic B. Juanites of Janmarie Construction, Diana S. Borbon of DISEM Construction and Supply, Allen P. Borbon of Adan Builders Co., and Marvin Lata Cumbe and Honorio Cumbe of HVC Sagittarius Commercial and Construction.

These further complaints cover road projects in Barangays Culaman, Datu Danwata, Demoloc, Tical and Manuel Peralta, with each project valued between P10.02 million and P14.92 million.

The DA said the respondents used falsified project documents to make the roads appear completed so they could release payments for infrastructure that was never constructed.

The respondents face criminal complaints for malversation, falsification, and graft, alongside administrative complaints for grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

Laurel said the agency’s Internal Audit Service, together with its Inspectorate and Enforcement unit, will continue to investigate potential collusion involving regional agriculture personnel, public works officials, and contractors linked to the alleged “ghost” road projects.