Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced on Thursday that three key individuals implicated in an anomalous flood control scheme—former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara, former Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez, and private contractor Sarah Discaya—are expected to be jailed before Christmas.
Dizon made the definitive statement at the sidelines of a technical working group meeting called by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), expressing confidence in the speedy resolution of the case. “It’s first in, first out at the Ombudsman,” Dizon said, referring to the Office of the Ombudsman’s process. He added, “We are confident they will spend Christmas in jail because the [complaint] is non-bailable.”
First DPWH Complaint Under New Leadership
The three individuals are the central figures in the first-ever complaint filed by the DPWH under Secretary Dizon’s leadership at the Ombudsman on September 11. This landmark action targets widespread corruption in the agency’s flood control projects.
The complaint alleges anomalies in nine flood control projects across Malolos, Hagonoy, Baliwag, Bulakan, and Calumpit in Bulacan, with a combined value of 249 million.
In addition to Alcantara, Hernandez, and Discaya, a total of 19 other individuals were charged. These include:
- DPWH officials: Construction Section chief John Michael Ramos and Planning and Design Section chief Ernesto Galang, along with 15 other DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office employees.
- Other Contractors: Ma. Angeline Rimando of St. Timothy Construction Corp., Sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading, Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders, and Robert Imperio of IM Construction.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla had previously announced a target date of November 25 to file the necessary information with the court, paving the way for the issuance of arrest warrants.
According to GMA News Online, the camps of both Sarah Discaya and Brice Hernandez have remained silent or refused comment, though the news outlet guaranteed it would publish their responses when they become available. The report underscores the DPWH’s firm action as proof of the government’s resolve to combat corruption.