MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday filed three graft charges against former Pampanga representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. over his alleged financial interest in a construction firm awarded more than P611 million in government flood control contracts during his time in Congress.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said investigators traced payments to A.D. Gonzales Jr. Construction and Trading Company Inc. (ADG Construction) to Gonzales’ private bank accounts despite his claim that he had transferred his shares in the company to his sister.
“There was a divestment, but the money still flowed back to him. It returned to him, so there was no genuine divestment,” Remulla said in a press briefing, citing anti-money laundering records showing that payments to the construction firm continued to reach Gonzales’ private accounts.
The contracts covered flood mitigation facilities in San Fernando and Bacolor worth more than P252 million, flood control and slope protection works in Mexico worth more than P94 million, and another flood management project in Mexico worth nearly P265 million.
Separately, Barangay Sto. Cristo chief Terence Sampang Napao filed a separate complaint over alleged defects in flood control structures in Mexico, Pampanga, including eroded and collapsed concrete slope protection, cracks, cavities and exposed metal components. He submitted photographs and geotagged documentation of the damage, according to the anti-graft body.
“You can only imagine the difficulties this has brought the community,” Remulla said.
The Ombudsman said it found prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction to charge Gonzales with three counts of violating Section 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which bars public officials from having prohibited financial interests in government contracts.
It also said Gonzales’ claimed transfer of shares to his sister did not constitute valid divestment and concealed his continuing financial interest in the company.
The cases stemmed from two complaints filed in July and August 2026 by the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office and Napao.
