It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/10/30/5-dpwh-engineers-placed-under-preventive-suspension-over-p1889-m-flood-control-projects |
Five engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District have been placed under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman pending an investigation into alleged irregularities in three flood control projects worth P188.9 million in Baliuag, Bulacan.
The OMB identified them as DPWH project engineers Irene D. Ontingco, Kevin A. Geronimo, John Michael E. Ramos, Bernardo P. Villafuerte, and Michelle C. Cruz.
According to the Ombudsman, the engineers were preventively suspended without pay for a period not exceeding six months while the administrative cases against them are being resolved.
The anti-graft body said the respondents face administrative charges of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty over three flood control projects undertaken in 2024.
“The projects, with a combined contract value of P188,891,898.23, involved the construction of reinforced concrete slope revetments in Barangays Piel, San Roque, and Sulivan in Baliuag, Bulacan,” the OMB said in a statement on Friday, Oct. 30.
The complaint alleged that the respondents falsified documents related to the implementation, inspection, acceptance, billing, and payment of the projects to give the appearance of compliance with contractual and legal requirements.
"To facilitate the implementation of the contracts and the disbursement of public funds, complainant maintains that respondents falsified documents relating to contract implementation, inspection, acceptance, billing and payment to create the false impression that the contractual and legal prerequisites had been satisfied," the OMB order stated.
Per the OMB’s panel of special investigators, the respondents also allegedly manipulated project documentation to help a joint venture secure contracts despite alleged noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations.
“[T]he respondents falsified documentation in relation to the three projects to create the false impression that the joint venture had complied with the requirements of the laws and regulations, thereby ensuring that the contracts will be awarded to it,” the investigators stated.
The Ombudsman said its preventive suspension order was based on sufficient grounds to believe that strong evidence supported the allegations against the respondents at this stage of the proceedings.
Likewise, the anti-graft body determined that the respondents’ continued stay in office could compromise the ongoing investigation, particularly given their possible access to or custody of relevant documents and other evidence.
The OMB said preserving evidence and preventing possible further malfeasance or misfeasance in office during the administrative proceedings also warranted preventive suspension.
The administrative complaint likewise includes former Bulacan officer-in-charge district engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, along with former assistant district engineer Jaypee D. Mendoza, former contract claims unit head Arjay S. Domasig, and former accountant Juanito C. Mendoza.
“However, the preventive suspension for them has been rendered moot after they have been separated from service,” the Ombudsman noted.
As such, the anti-graft body said that the detention of DPWH engineer Norberto L. Santos and administrative officer Floralyn Y. Simbulan in Quezon City and Bulacan rendered the request for their preventive suspension moot.
The OMB further noted that the preventive suspension of four other former DPWH personnel was likewise moot, as former administrative officer Evelyn T. De Jesus and former engineer Ernesto C. Galang had retired, while former materials engineer Vicente G. Calderon and former project engineer Merg Jaron C. Laus resigned in 2026.
“Commission on Audit (COA) auditors Cinderella Esperanza A. Santos and Madonna S. Atencion, who are co-respondents in the case, were not preventively suspended, as there is no showing that their continued presence in office poses a risk of evidence tampering or hampering the ongoing investigation,” it added.
The Ombudsman clarified that the respondents who were not suspended remain subject to the complaint and the ongoing investigation. The respondents also face criminal complaints before the OMB, separate from the administrative case.
The Office of the Ombudsman has placed five DPWH Bulacan First District engineers under preventive suspension while investigating alleged irregularities in three Baliuag flood control projects worth ₱188.9 million.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2336033/8-dpwh-execs-suspended-over-flagged-surigao-norte-flood-control-project |
The Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday announced the suspension of eight Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials following a complaint that full payments were allegedly made for still-incomplete Surigao del Norte flood control projects.
In a six-page order, the anti-graft body placed seven DPWH engineers and one accountant under preventive suspension after the complaint was filed by the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office II.
“The complaint stated that substantially incomplete projects were fully paid by the DPWH to the detriment of the government,” the Ombudsman said in a statement.
Suspended for six months without pay were DPWH Regional Office XI District Engineer Annie Dela Vega, DPWH Surigao del Norte 1st district engineering office (DEO) Engineer IIIs Federico Gotico III, Demilyn Castrence, Quintinano Armendariz Jr., and Edward Tinio, Engineer IIs Florencio Sulana and Ricky Arciga and accountant Jerome Sulapas.
The preventive suspension was imposed pending the resolution of cases of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave misconduct, and serious dishonesty.
“Sufficient grounds exist to impose preventive suspension on Respondents,” the order stated.
“Without delving into the merits of the case and based on the evidence submitted by Complainant, the allegations against Respondents appear to be supported by strong evidence at this stage.”
The Office of the Ombudsman suspended eight DPWH officials on Wednesday over allegations that unfinished flood control projects in Surigao del Norte were fully paid for.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/11/04/manila-cop-dies-after-accidentally-shooting-himself-while-on-duty |
A 35-year-old Manila police officer died after his service firearm went off while he was checking the weapon during a barangay visitation in Sampaloc, Manila, on Monday morning, Nov. 2.
Patrolman Jann Lester M. Gestopa was on official duty with colleagues inside the Barangay 509 hall along E. Quintos Street near Dapitan Street when the incident occurred at about 6:50 a.m., according to an initial report from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
Initial investigation showed that Gestopa was checking his firearm when it discharged, hitting him in the forehead.
His colleagues immediately rushed him to Chinese General Hospital for medical attention.
However, Dr. Janine Baricaua of the hospital's Surgery Department declared him dead at around 9:40 a.m.
The incident was reported to Sampaloc Police Station 4 (PS-4) at around 7:30 a.m. after Police Staff Sergeant Arnold Larena Tolentino, a 37-year-old fellow police officer and workmate of Gestopa, discovered what had happened.
At around 8:30 a.m., Sampaloc police personnel began gathering initial information about the incident.
First responders included Police Corporal Francis E. Libo-on, Patrolman Marc John Grulla, and Patrolman Rancel Dandy Rosalin of the Sibama Police Community Precinct.
In a statement, Sampaloc Police Station said its Investigation Section, together with the Manila Police District (MPD) Homicide Section, Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), and MPD Forensic Unit, is conducting a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
The station stressed that the investigation remains ongoing pending the results of the autopsy and other necessary forensic examinations.
It offered condolences to Gestopa’s bereaved family and colleagues.
"The PNP remains committed to ensuring a thorough, objective, and evidence-based investigation, while upholding professionalism, accountability, and respect for the dignity of the deceased and his family," the police station said.
The NCRPO said a more detailed report would follow.
Another cop has killed himself with his own gun which accidentally discharged.
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