THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has widened its investigation into alleged flood control anomalies, placing 26 additional projects under scrutiny as six Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials and engineers were relieved from their posts over questionable projects in Davao City.
The additional cases are spread across several regions, with nine under the NBI’s Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office, seven in Bulacan and five in Cebu, according to a list released by the bureau.
The NBI’s Fraud and Financial Crimes Division is investigating two more cases, while its offices in Calabarzon, Bayombong in Nueva Vizcaya and Bulacan South are handling one case each.
The 26 projects are separate from the 47 flood control projects being investigated in Davao City, underscoring the expanding scope of the government’s crackdown on alleged irregularities in public infrastructure spending.
Of the 26 additional cases, 17 have been filed before separate investigating panels, while nine are undergoing evaluation by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Four cases involving the Davao projects have also been referred to the DOJ for further investigation. The contracts are worth a combined P364.2 million and form part of the broader inquiry into 47 projects valued at about P1.9 billion.
The expanding investigation has also triggered personnel actions at the DPWH, with six officials and engineers relieved or reassigned following the NBI’s recommendation to pursue charges over alleged irregularities involving contractor Genesis88 Construction Inc.
Those affected include Ferdinand Dallo, assistant regional director of DPWH Region 5; Emilio Sucaldito Jr., officer-in-charge of the Davao City First District Engineering Office; and engineers Kristine Apao, Aljun Barcoma, Kim Anthony Duque and Alexander Omadley.
The personnel changes followed the filing of criminal complaints arising from the Davao investigation. The allegations include falsification of public documents and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Investigators have flagged alleged irregularities in project documentation, including the reported reuse and alteration of photographs submitted to support progress billings for flood control works.
The NBI’s complaints also involve personnel associated with Genesis88 and Agong Builders and Construction Supply Inc.
The NBI’s flood control investigation has extended beyond the newly identified projects and the Davao contracts, with cases being handled by its Public Corruption Division, Organized and Transnational Crimes Division and district offices in Cebu, Lucena and Cagayan Valley.
Among the respondents in separate cases are dismissed officials of the Bulacan First District Engineering Office, former congressman Zaldy Co, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
The widening probe comes amid mounting scrutiny of government flood control spending and whether public funds were used for projects that were incomplete, improperly implemented or supported by questionable documentation.
