The Office of the Ombudsman has taken decisive action, ordering a six-month preventive suspension for a dozen officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The officials are implicated in alleged irregularities surrounding a massive P289 million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
List of Suspended DPWH-Mimaropa Officials
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano confirmed that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla issued the suspension order. The suspended officials from the DPWH-Mimaropa region are:
- Gerald A. Pacanan - Regional director
- Gene Ryan A. Altea - Former assistant regional director, now director of DPWH Bureau of Maintenance
- Ruben DS. Santos Jr. - Assistant regional director
- Dominic G. Serrano - Chief of Construction Division
- Felisardo S. Casuno - Project Engineer III
- Juliet C. Calvo - Chief Maintenance Division
- Lerma D. Cayco - Accountant IV, Bidding and Awards Committee (BAC)
- Dennis P. Abagon - Former OIC of Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division; regular BAC member
- Montrexis T. Tamayo - OIC of Planning and Design Division
- Timojen A. Sacar - Material Engineer
- Grace Lopez - BAC member
- Frierich Karl Camero - Legal Division Chief
Criminal Charges and Arrests
Clavano stated that the suspension stems from an administrative case filed simultaneously with criminal charges. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recommended both cases to the Ombudsman.
The legal situation is severe. Except for Grace Lopez and Frierich Karl Camero, all the named DPWH officials have been ordered arrested by the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court. They are charged alongside former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and five officials from Sunwest Corporation.
The charges they face are grave: malversation through falsification and two counts of graft, all related to the alleged anomalous implementation of the road dike project.
Current Status of the Accused
As of now, the majority of the accused are already in custody. Out of the ten DPWH-Mimaropa officials with arrest orders, nine are detained by either the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The only exception is Timojen A. Sacar.
These nine individuals have already appeared before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, where they entered pleas of not guilty to the charges against them. The preventive suspension order adds a significant administrative layer to their ongoing legal battles, removing them from their positions as the judicial process unfolds.
This case highlights continued efforts by anti-corruption bodies to address alleged malfeasance in high-value public infrastructure projects, aiming to ensure accountability for public funds.
