A group of public works officials linked to the controversial flood control project in Oriental Mindoro appeared before the Sandiganbayan on Thursday, where eight of them denied the graft allegations filed against them.
The proceedings took place before the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division. Present during the arraignment were DPWH regional and division officials Gerald Pacanan, Gene Ryan Altea, Ruben D.S. Santos, Dominic Serrano, Felisardo Casuno, Lerma Cayco, Dennis Abagon, and Engineer Montrexis Tamayo. Their roles span multiple units of the regional office, including construction, accounting, project engineering, planning, design, and quality assurance.
Serrano, who heads the Construction Division and also serves as chairperson of the Bids and Awards Committee, appeared alongside Abagon, a regular member of the same committee and officer-in-charge of the Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division. Tamayo, who oversees the Planning and Design Division of DPWH-Mimaropa, also joined the group of respondents in entering their plea.
DPWH Chief Maintenance Division official Juliet Calvo did not attend the hearing, prompting the court to move her arraignment to December 2.
The Fifth Division scheduled a series of pre-conference dates in early 2026, with sessions set on January 9, 19, and 26, as well as February 5, 12, 19, and 26.
A separate case also awaits the same officials. The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has set their arraignment for the related malversation charge on December 2.
