COA turns over to ICI 4 fraud audit reports on ₱351-M ghost flood control projects

The Commission on Audit (COA) has provided the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) with fraud audit reports involving four fully paid ghost flood-control projects worth ₱351 million in Bulacan.

- By CZARINA NICOLE ONG-KI

The COA reports named three contractors involved in the projects - Syms Construction Trading, Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., and Triple 8 Construction and Supply Inc.

It said that Syms Construction undertook two projects. The first project was for the construction of flood control structure (revetment) in Purok 1 to Purok 2, Barangay San Roque, Baliuag, Bulacan with a total contract cost of ₱92,688,858.48.

When State auditors inspected the project on Sept. 24, 2025, the COA said they discovered that no flood control structure existed. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) even pinpointed them to a different location and offered no explanation for the change, it said.

There were also no critical supporting documents provided to the COA, and Syms Construction was paid the entire cost of the project despite the irregularities, it also said.

The COA recommended that the persons liable are District Engineer Henry C. Alcantara and Syms Construction representative Sally N. Santos.