NEWS

By ABS-CBN News | Nov 14, 2025

MANILA — It has been more than three months since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a bombshell announcement saying only 15 contractors bagged about P100 billion or 20 percent of nearly 10,000 flood control projects since 2022.

Whistleblowers have since exposed a supposed scheme involving corrupt politicians and public works employees to get billions of pesos in kickback from flood control and other infrastructure projects.

The public now asks: despite the numerous inquiries and protests since the corruption controversy broke out, why is no one behind bars yet?

As public rage seethes, Marcos on Thursday gave a rundown of the administration’s moves to seek accountability.

He even said some individuals could be jailed before Christmas.

According to Marcos’ presentation, 485 individuals from public and private sectors have been indicted while 16 licensed professionals have been charged before the Professional Regulation Commission.

Meanwhile, 15 bid-rigging cases were filed before the Philippine Competition Commission and 10 tax-evasion cases — involving 89 contractors and 9 public works or audit officials — were lodged by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Here’s a list of persons or entities facing charges in relation to the flood control scandal as well as actions implemented by the Marcos government to protect and recover public funds.

The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Commission on Audit filed the first set of criminal charges before the Ombudsman, covering five projects against the following companies.

1. St. Timothy Construction
2. Wawao Builders
3. Syms Construction Trading

The following public officials and contractors face graft and malversation of public funds charges as well as violation of procurement laws at the Office of the Ombudsman.

PUBLIC OFFICIALS (BULACAN 1ST DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE)

1. Henry Alcantara, Former OIC-Assistant Regional Director (ARD)
2. Brice Hernandez, Former OIC-District Engineer (DE)
3. Jaypee Mendoza, Former OIC-Assistant DE
4. John Michael Ramos, Chief, Construction Section
5. Ernesto Galang, Planning and Design Section
6. Lorenzo Pagtalunan, OIC-Chief, Maintenance Section
7. Norberto Santos, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Section
8. Jaime Hernandez, Maintenance Section
9. Floralyn Simbilan, Maintenance Section
10. Juanito Mendoza, Finance Section
11. Roberto Roque, Budget Unit
12. Benedict Matawaran, Procurement Unit
13. Christina Mae Pineda, Cashier II
14. Paul Jayson Duya, Project Engineer (PE)
15. Merg Jaron Laus, PE
16. Lemuel Ephraim Roque, PE
17. Arjay Domasig, PE
18. John Carlo Rivera, PE
19. John Benex Francisco, PE
20. Jolo Mari Tayao, PE II

PRIVATE ENTITIES

1. Ma. Roma Angeline D. Rimando, St. Timothy Construction
2. Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya, St. Timothy Construction
3. Mark Allan Arevalo, Wawao Builders
4. Sally N. Santos, Syms Construction Trading
5. Robert Imperio, IM Construction Corp.

Criminal charges were also filed against the following persons and companies before the Office of the Ombudsman involving two projects.

PUBLIC OFFICIALS (BULACAN 1ST DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE)

1. Henry Alcantara, Former OIC-ARS
2. Brice Hernandez, Former OIC-District Engineer (DE)
3. Jolo Mari Tayao, PE II
4. Lemuel Ephraim Roque, PE
5. John Michael Ramos, Chief, Construction Section
6. Ernesto Galang, Planning and Design Section

PRIVATE ENTITIES

1. Gian Carlo Galang, Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc./One Frame Construction Inc.
2. Mark Allan V. Arevallo, Wawao Builders

The following personalities and private entities also face graft and malversation of public funds before the Office of the Ombudsman.

LA UNION 2ND DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE

1. Gil Lorenzo, DE
2. Raul Gali, ADE
3. Mario Laroya, Chief, Construction Section
4. Ethel Grace Guerrero, PE
5. Joseph Brian Delizo, PE
6. Christian Paul Eduria, PE and Materials Engineer (ME)
7. Albemar Elloise Estipular, ME
8. Nestor Sibayan, Representative Office of the Construction Section
9. Aries Graciano Novencido, Representative, Office of the Quality Assurance Section
10. Jose Perez, Representative, Office of the Planning and Design Section
11. Zyrah Marie Estipular, Representative, Office of the Maintenance Section
12. Dan G. Ginete, Chief, Finance Section
13. Marivic Manalo

DAVAO OCCIDENTAL DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE

1. Rodrigo Larete, DE
2. Michael Awa, OIC-ADE and Chief, Construction Section
3. Joel Lumogdang, OIC – Chief, Construction Section
4. Harold Villaver, PE
5. Jafael Faunillan, Chief, Quality Assurance Section
6. Josephine Valdez, Chief, Planning and Design Section
7. Ranulfo Flores, Chief, Maintenance Section
8. Czar Ryan Ubungen, Acting Chief, Finance Section

PRIVATE ENTITIES

1. Moises Tabucol, General Manager, Silverwolves Construction Corp.
2. Alvin Diego, Silverwolves Construction Corp.
3. Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, Managing Officer, St. Timothy Construction Corp.
4. Cezarah Towena Discaya, St. Timothy Construction Corp.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure, which can only recommend the filing of charges against individuals, announced last month that it endorsed the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, resigned congressman Zaldy Co, and other officials over their alleged involvement in the flood control scandal.

ICI Chairman Andres Reyes Jr. said other officials included in the filing of complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman were Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, former lawmaker Mitch Cajayon-Uy, and former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

Reyes said the commission recommended direct or indirect bribery, corruption of public officers, and plunder charges against the personalities for possibly being involved “in obtaining bribes or unwarranted monetary benefits from flood control project contractors.”

According to Marcos’ presentation, the Anti-Money Laundering Council has issued 7 freeze orders, totalling to P6.3 billion in frozen assets.

These include the following:

1. 1,671 bank accounts
2. 58 insurance policies
3. 244 motor vehicles
4. 144 real properties
5. 12 e-wallet accounts

Meanwhile, 9 contractors linked to Sarah Discaya have been blacklisted by the budget department. And of the 13 luxury vehicles seized by the Bureau of Customs from the Discayas, 7 were slated for public auction.

The following reforms were also implemented to protect taxpayers’ money, Marcos said.

1. Perpetual disqualification for ghost/substandard contractors under DPWH
2. Citizen participatory audit institutionalized under DPWH
3. Modernized PhilGEPS (Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System) portal launched for open procurement data
4. Construction price data reform reduced material overpricing by up to 50 percent
5. AMLC-DPWH partnership established for asset recovery
6. DTI regulatory overhaul of Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines and
7. Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board; conflict-of-interest ban enforced

Source: ABS CBN News