MANILA — The country’s biggest anti-corruption crackdown in years is barreling toward its first arrests, with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announcing that several suspects in the multibillion-peso flood control scam may be jailed before Christmas as prosecutors finalize multiple cases.
In a Palace briefing Thursday, Marcos said investigators are wrapping up airtight complaints against officials and contractors suspected to be involved in the alleged extensive kickback, bid-rigging, and ghost-project scheme that spanned several regions.
“Bago mag-Pasko marami dito sa napangalanan dito, palagay ko matatapos na ang kaso nila, buo na ‘yung kaso. Makukulong na sila, wala silang Merry Christmas,” the President declared.
The scandal — first exposed by Marcos during his 2025 State of the Nation Address — has since ballooned into a nationwide probe involving the Ombudsman, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and multiple law enforcement units.
Wave of Cases Across Agencies
The Office of the Ombudsman has already filed graft and malversation complaints linked to ghost projects, inflated estimates, and collusive bidding in flood control works across Central Luzon, Northern Luzon, and Mindanao.
The first batch of charges, filed Sept. 8, stemmed from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Commission on Audit (COA) audit red flags. Those indicted included officials of the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office — Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, John Michael Ramos, Ernesto Galang, and several engineering staff.
Private individuals also named in the cases were:
* Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya and Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando of St. Timothy Construction
* Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders
* Sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading
* Robert Imperio of IM Construction Corp.
In response, the Department of Budget and Management blacklisted nine companies tied to Discaya, including St. Gerrard Construction, Alpha & Omega, Amethyst Horizon, and Great Pacific Builders, effectively barring them from PhilGEPS transactions.
ICI later transmitted 37 additional cases to the Ombudsman, naming lawmakers, former DPWH executives, and more contractors suspected of participating in coordinated corruption networks.
The PCC also filed 12 bid-rigging cases involving St. Timothy Construction, Sunwest Inc., Wawao Builders, SYMS Construction, and IM Construction Corp., warning penalties could hit P3 billion to P5 billion. Related asset forfeiture auctions are set for Nov. 20.
The Professional Regulation Commission meanwhile moved to sanction 16 engineers for falsifying project plans or supervision reports.
More Complaints Filed
On Oct. 23, fresh complaints were lodged involving alleged anomalous flood control projects in the La Union 2nd District Engineering Office and the Davao Occidental DEO. Among those charged were Gil Lorenzo, Raul Gali, Rodrigo Larete, and repeat names Discaya and Rimando, as well as Silverwolves Construction Corp. officials Moses Tabucol and Alvin Diego.
Rounding out the aggressive enforcement push, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Nov. 6 filed P8.86 billion in tax evasion complaints against 89 contractors and nine officials from DPWH and COA, backed by 98 Letters of Authority to widen the tax probe.
‘No cases for optics’
Marcos stressed that the government is committed to pursuing solid, defensible charges — not symbolic filings.
“You don’t file cases for optics,” he said. “The goal is accountability, not publicity.”
With multiple agencies moving simultaneously and dozens of cases now in prosecutors’ hands, the administration appears poised for the first arrests in what could become the most sweeping corruption prosecution involving public works in years./PN
