(UPDATE) FORMER Bulacan 1st District engineer Henry Alcantara was dismissed from service, while two other ranking officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will soon face the same fate, Malacañang announced Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the dismissal of Alcantara amid the investigation into anomalous flood control projects.

Castro said that the dismissals of district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez and assistant district engineer Jaypee Mendoza were also under way.

“This is in connection with the ongoing investigation into the anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan,” Castro said during a press conference.

“Secretary Dizon has also recommended that appropriate cases be filed with the Office of the Ombudsman against Alcantara, Hernandez and Mendoza in connection with the questionable projects. The said DPWH officials are also included in the Bureau of Immigration’s lookout bulletin,” she added.

During the House inquiry into the irregularities in the implementation of flood control projects, Alcantara said he started working in the agency in 1994 and rose through the ranks of the DPWH.

In 2019, under the leadership of then-public works secretary Mark Villar, Alcantara said he was promoted as the district engineer of Bulacan’s 1st Engineering District, handling infrastructure projects in the provincial capital city of Malolos, and adjacent municipalities of Bulakan (Bulacan), Calumpit, Hagonoy, Paombong, Pulilan, Balagtas, Bustos, Guiguinto and Plaridel, which are among the most flood-prone areas in the province.

From 2022 to 2025, government records showed that Bulacan’s 1st Engineering District had 450 flood control projects with a total cost of P28.9 billion, the largest project cost among the implementing offices of the DPWH., This news data comes from:http://mrk-vqoi-hcx-du.gyglfs.com

Among the projects in Alcantara’s area of jurisdiction was the reinforced concrete river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, which was found to be a ghost project by no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during an inspection on Aug. 20.

Alcantara admitted signing the certificate of completion of the P55-million project, which wasupposedly implemented by SYMS Construction Trading.

Castro said Dizon also ordered the perpetual blacklisting of contractors Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction Trading following the discovery of ghost flood control projects in Bulacan province.

She said Wawao Builders was the contractor for the P96.5-million ghost project in Bulacan while SYMS Construction Trading was the contractor for the P55-million ghost project in the same province.

“This move by the DPWH is in line with the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for swift action, filing of charges and holding accountable those behind the anomalous projects,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, Castro appealed for calm after several individuals, including disaster survivors, staged a protest in front of a construction firm owned by the Discaya family, who are accused of involvement in questionable flood-prevention projects.

She said the President’s order to investigate alleged irregularities in flood control projects was meant to bring clarity and accountability, and not chaos.

“The President said we are following due process. The order to investigate everything is also for the people. But we do not want disorder,” Castro said.

“That is not what the President wants. The President wants us all to be enlightened about what is happening in the flood control projects and to give the people what they deserve,” she added.

The Palace official also warned against the spread of false information that could stir public anger and disrupt peace.

Castro said the President’s orders to look into irregularities in flood control projects were intended to inform the public and ensure accountability.

She also assured the public that concerned agencies and law enforcement units have been instructed to maintain peace and order.

“Let us think carefully because it cannot be resolved through violence and let us not act based on reports coming from rebels, obstructionists or political opponents,” she said.

Lookout bulletin issued

Also on Thursday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla signed immigration lookout bulletin orders (ILBOs) targeting DPWH officials and private contractors implicated in alleged irregularities in flood control projects nationwide.

The orders came following a request from Dizon to place additional individuals under immigration monitoring, aiming to prevent them from leaving the country while investigations continue into allegedly anomalous and substandard flood control projects flagged during inspections ordered by President Marcos.

Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesman Mico Clavano confirmed the ILBOs were issued as part of ongoing probes into projects reportedly affected by overpricing, defective construction, and collusion between officials and contractors.

This follows the first batch of ILBOs, approved by Remulla on Wednesday, based on requests from Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Rodante Marcoleta.

Among the individuals now under the ILBO are senior DPWH officials, district engineers and officers of multiple construction firms. Key names include Cezarah “Sarah” Rowena Discaya and Pacifico Discaya (Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp.); Alex Abelido and Raymond Abelido (Legacy Construction Corp.); Ma. Roma Angeline Discaya Rimando (St. Timothy Construction Corp.); Allan Quirante (QM Builders); Erni Bagao (EGB Construction Corp.); Eumir Villanueva and Pamela Villanueva (top-notch Catalyst Builders Inc.); Lawrence Lubiano (Centerways Construction and Development Inc.); Ryan Willie David Uy (Road Edge Trading & Development Service); Darcy Kimel Respicio (Darcy and Anna Builders and Trading); Edgardo Saggum (Eddmari Construction and Trading); Maritoni Melegrito (Elite General Contractor and Development Corp.); Ferdinand Beltran (Ferdstar Builders Contractors); Melanie Raymundo (Rayman Builders Inc.); Alvin Diego (Silverwolves Construction Corp.); Aderma Angelie Descarga Alcazar (Sunwest Inc.); Edgar Acosta (Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.); and other contractors Gina Arevalo, Michelle Baraquiel, Wilfredo Maties Natividad, Jocelyn Reyes Natividad, Romeo Miranda, Mark Allan Villamor Arevalo, Marjorie Samidan and Luisito Tiqui.

DPWH officials under the lookout bulletin were Maria Catalina Cabral, undersecretary for Planning and PPP; Ramon Arriola III, undersecretary for Planning and PPP; Luz Dela Rosa, director, Internal Audit Service; Gerard Opulencia, OIC regional director, National Capital Region; Roseller Tolentino, regional director, Region 2 (Cagayan Valley); Henry Alcantara, former district engineer; Bulacan 1st DEO Brice Ericson Hernandez; and Bulacan 1st DEO Officials Jayson Jauco, Norberto Santos, Jaypee Mendoza, Ernesto Galang, John Michael Ramos, Jaime Hernandez, Floralyn Simbulan, Juanito Mendoza and Benedict Matawaran.

Remulla said the ILBOs are a crucial measure to ensure accountability and secure the presence of all concerned individuals as the investigation intensifies.

NBI probe

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it has launched a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities in government flood control projects, including those in areas recently visited by President Marcos.

In a press briefing, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said he had directed Deputy Director Antonio Pagatpat to instruct regional directors to begin fact-finding operations even without a formal order from higher authorities.

“We are acting proactively so that whenever requested by concerned agencies such as the DOJ, we are ready to respond,” he said.

Santiago emphasized that the probe is strictly apolitical and will cover all individuals involved.

“Whoever is found guilty — lawmakers, local officials or contractors — we will pursue justice. Everybody is under scrutiny,” he said.

The initial focus of the investigation includes Bulacan and Baguio, sites recently inspected by the President. Santiago stressed that criminal and administrative cases will be filed once evidence of wrongdoing is confirmed.

DPWH fires Bulacan engineers, blacklists contractors over anomalous projects