Bulacan ‘ghost projects’: DPWH engineer, Henry Alcantara admits during a House of Representatives hearing to not inspecting them.
– A district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bulacan admitted before the House of Representatives Infra-Comm on Tuesday that he issued completion certificates without personally inspecting the works, mostly flood-control projects.
The hearing underscored how questionable agency insertions and flawed certification practices had allowed millions in public funds to flow to contractors, who were earlier flagged by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
READ: Contractors behind ‘ghost projects’ face lifetime gov’t ban, says DPWH
DPWH Department Order No. 99, Series of 2015, requires district engineers to personally certify the completion of projects. The certification becomes the official basis for releasing payments to contractors.
In his testimony before the committee, Henry Alcantara admitted that he issued completion certificates without personally inspecting the projects.
“Ni isa wala po kayong tiningnan (You did not inspect even one)?” Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, chair of the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability and co-chair of the Infra-Comm, asked Alcantara.
“Meron naman (There were some), your honor,” Alcantara responded, adding that he relied on a team to conduct validations.
