The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has confirmed the death of one of its senior engineers in Sorsogon, asking the public to respect the family’s request for privacy as questions continue to swirl around ongoing investigations into local infrastructure projects.
The agency said Engr. Larry Reyes, who chaired the Bids and Awards Committee of the DPWH Sorsogon First District Engineering Office, died this week. The cause of death was not disclosed.
In a statement, the DPWH appealed to the public to avoid drawing conclusions about the incident. “While there is much speculation and unverified reports on social media regarding his circumstances, Engr. Reyes’ family has requested the public and media for privacy and necessary space to grieve his deep loss away from public scrutiny, especially during this difficult time,” the agency said. It added that the matter is “a profoundly private and personal” one and is “not related to any of the agency’s issues.”
Reyes’ passing comes amid an ongoing review of flood control and other infrastructure projects in Sorsogon and other parts of the country. The DPWH has been scrutinizing reports of substandard or nonexistent projects, with Sorsogon among the areas flagged.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is also expected to inspect projects in the province, although Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka did not commit to a specific schedule. “We shall give the media sufficient notice when the next inspection will be,” he said.
Recent congressional inquiries have placed a spotlight on Centerways Construction and Development Inc., Sorsogon’s biggest flood control contractor. The firm secured 85 projects worth P5.4 billion over the past three years, most of them in the province. Its president, Lawrence Lubiano, previously acknowledged donating P30 million to the 2022 senatorial campaign of then Sorsogon governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who told the Commission on Elections that he believed the contribution was given in a “personal capacity.”
Scrutiny intensified after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. disclosed in his State of the Nation Address that 5,500 flood-control projects had been completed under his term, a claim questioned by critics amid persistent flooding. Marcos later ordered an audit of nearly 10,000 flood-control projects completed from July 2022 to May 2025 and revealed that P100 billion in contracts—around 20 percent of the national flood-mitigation budget—went to just 15 contractors, including Centerways.
Following the president’s remarks, allegations resurfaced of collusion among contractors, lawmakers, and DPWH personnel to divert billions from flood-control allocations. Marcos has since formed the ICI to conduct a closed-door probe, a move that has drawn criticism over transparency. The commission vowed to livestream its proceedings but has not released recordings of earlier hearings.
