Ombudsman suspends Bulacan DPWH engineers over P188M flood control projects

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension of five engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office for six months.

This is in light of the ongoing investigation into their alleged involvement in the anomalous P188 million worth of flood control projects in Baliuag, Bulacan.

The preventive suspension order covered DPWH project engineers Irene Ontingco, Kevin Geronimo, John Michael Ramos, Bernardo Villafuerte, and Michelle Cruz, pending the resolution of administrative cases against them alleging grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty in connection with the construction of reinforced concrete slope revetments in Barangays Piel, San Roque, and Sulivan in Baliuag, Bulacan.

"To facilitate the implementation of the contracts and the disbursement of public funds, complainant maintains that respondents falsified documents relating to contract implementation, inspection, acceptance, billing and payment to create the false impression that the contractual and legal prerequisites had been satisfied," the order read.

“The Ombudsman found sufficient grounds to believe that the allegations against the respondents were supported by strong evidence at this stage of the proceedings. Allowing the respondents to remain in their positions could prejudice the ongoing investigation, particularly as they may have access to or custody of documents and other evidence relevant to the case,” the Ombudsman added.

The administrative complaint filed against the respondents by Ombudsman prosecutors alleged that they falsified documents related to the implementation, inspection, acceptance, billing, and payment of the projects to make it appear that contractual and legal requirements had been complied with.

“The preventive suspension was likewise deemed necessary to preserve evidence and prevent possible further malfeasance or misfeasance in office while the administrative proceedings are ongoing,” the Ombudsman added.

Also included in the administrative complaint are former Bulacan officer-in-charge district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, former assistant district engineer Jaypee Mendoza, former contract claims unit head Arjay Domasig, and former accountant Juanito Mendoza, who are already in jail over malversation and graft cases involving the P92.8 million Pandi, Bulacan flood control project.

However, the preventive suspension for those already in jail has been rendered moot after they have been separated from service.

The prayer for the preventive suspension of DPWH engineer Norberto Santos and administrative officer Floralyn Simbulan was likewise rendered moot following their detention in Quezon City and Bulacan.

Meanwhile, DPWH former administrative officer Evelyn De Jesus and former engineer Ernesto Galang have already retired from service, while former materials engineer Vicente Calderon and former project engineer Merg Jaron Laus have resigned in 2026, rendering the suspension against them moot as well.

Apart from the administrative case, the respondents also face criminal complaints with the Office of the Ombudsman.

GMA News Online has reached out to DPWH Region 3 for comment and will publish it as soon as it is made available.—LDF, GMA News