Bonoan: Charges readied over ‘ghost,’ botched flood deals
At least 10 officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1st District Engineering office in Bulacan—including their head, Henry Alcantara—have been relieved from their posts amid an ongoing probe into alleged substandard and even “ghost” flood control projects in the area.
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who himself is in hot water after several lawmakers demanded his resignation over the botched projects, said Alcantara was placed under floating status.
Before questions on the flood control projects arose, Alcantara was recommended for promotion as assistant regional director of DPWH Region 4-A (Calabarzon).
“I have to recall his assignment and put him on a floating status for the time being,” Bonoan said.
Aside from Alcantara, Bonoan said among those who were relieved was newly appointed 1st district engineer Brice Hernandez.
“They will be charged. We are in the process of collecting the required documents. Just two days ago, I sent out a memorandum asking them to explain their actions. I have given them three days to respond, and if their explanation is not satisfactory, we will move forward with filing the necessary charges,” the DPWH chief added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday blew his top over a P55.7-million flood control project in Baliuag, Bulacan that he described as a “ghost project,” noting that the government had fully paid for the contract even though not a single meter of work was built.
Last week, the President also saw for himself a questionable river protection project in Calumpit, Bulacan, which had been declared finished in official records but was still visibly incomplete.
The river protection structure was built by St. Timothy Construction Corporation, while the flood mitigation structure was constructed by Wawao Builders. The two firms are among the top 15 contractors that secured most of the flood control projects nationwide.
Bonoan, however, said Bulacan’s 1st District was the only area with so-called ghost projects, describing it as an “isolated case.”
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier disclosed Bulacan was the “most notorious” with more or less 30 documented ghost projects based on his own investigation.
As this developed, Bonoan said he will continue to serve as DPWH head unless the President asks him to resign.
“My tenure is at the pleasure of the president,” Bonoan said. “He (President Marcos) told me to continue the investigation that I’m doing,” he added.
On Thursday, former DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said he has received feelers from Malacañang about returning to his old post, even as he immediately expressed reluctance to accept, should a formal offer materialize.
In a televised interview, Singson said he is far more inclined to accept the job of leading an independent panel that would investigate anomalies in the government’s flood control projects.
“Definitely, there were feelers. The President and I go a long way, when he was still a governor (of Ilocos Norte) and then he became a senator. We’ve known each other through quite a lot of [infrastructure] projects. I’m not a stranger to the President,” he told ANC’s Headstart.
As an aside, Singson said his return to the DPWH as its head is unlikely because “my wife will leave me already if I go back to government.”
While he expressed disinterest in leading the DPWH for a second round, Singson said he instead volunteered to lead a probe into the government’s controversial flood control program.
“I’ve volunteered pro bono,” the former DPWH secretary said.
Last week, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said incumbent Bonoan still enjoys Mr. Marcos’ trust.
On Thursday, however, when asked whether a replacement for Bonoan was being eyed, Castro said: “Let’s just wait for whatever the President will decide.”
