The Office of the Ombudsman has imposed a six-month preventive suspension without pay on five project engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office over their alleged involvement in ₱188.8-million ghost flood control projects in Baliuag, Bulacan.
According to the report of RH Val Gonzales, the suspended engineers were identified as Irene D. Ontingco, Kevin A. Geronimo, John Michael E. Ramos, Bernardo P. Villafuerte, and Michelle C. Cruz.
They are facing administrative charges of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty in connection with three flood control projects in 2024 worth a total of ₱188,891,898.23.
The projects involved the construction of reinforced concrete slope revetments in Barangays Piel, San Roque, and Sulivan in Baliuag.
According to the Ombudsman, the engineers allegedly falsified documents covering project implementation, inspection, acceptance, and payment to make the projects appear legitimate and facilitate the awarding of contracts to a joint venture.
The Ombudsman said the preventive suspension was imposed due to the strength of the evidence and to prevent the respondents from influencing witnesses, tampering with documents, or committing further irregularities while the investigation is ongoing.
Also named in the administrative complaints were former Bulacan Officer-in-Charge District Engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez and former Assistant District Engineer Jaypee D. Mendoza.
However, they were not included in the suspension order as they are no longer in active government service due to separation, retirement, resignation, or incarceration.
