Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon is taking a firm stand against the corruption uncovered in flood control projects, declaring that imprisonment alone won’t suffice for those found guilty. “Hindi sapat ‘yung makulong. Kailangan ibalik ang pera ng tao,” he emphasized on Friday, adding that billions worth of taxpayers’ money were funneled into projects that were either substandard or didn’t exist at all.
Speaking at a press conference, Dizon confirmed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to file a second batch of criminal complaints next week. The cases will involve both DPWH insiders and private contractors responsible for irregularities in Oriental Mindoro, including major players like Sunwest Inc., St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and Elite General Contractor and Development Corporation—two of which have ties to the controversial Discaya family.
This follows the graft charges filed earlier against 20 DPWH officials and four contractors in connection with ghost and substandard projects, particularly in Bulacan. Among those named in the first complaint were Sarah Discaya of St. Timothy Construction, former district engineer Henry Alcantara, and engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza.
The Secretary himself led an inspection in Oriental Mindoro this week, where he was shocked to find that several projects listed in the 2024 national budget—amounting to hundreds of millions—could not even be located. These include three road dike constructions along the Panggalaan and Mag-asawang Tubig Rivers, with a combined worth of over P750 million.
Adding to the weight of the scandal, Dizon said he will meet with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to pursue asset freezing and forfeiture proceedings. “Kailangan ibalik ang perang ‘yan,” he stressed, insisting that real justice means recovering stolen public funds—not just punishing the guilty.
In another significant move, Dizon revealed that blacklisting proceedings are underway for companies linked to Sarah and Curlee Discaya. “Ongoing na rin ang process of blacklisting nung mga kumpanya ng Discaya,” he said, adding that the agency had already permanently banned Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction Trading over their involvement in fraudulent projects in Bulacan.
