SAMPLE IN BOHOL: Another flood control project crumbles in Candijay, Bohol — not from a typhoon, but from years of substandard materials and alleged corruption. Concrete breaks apart like paper under normal river flow. (Contributed photo)
By DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
A watchdog group calling itself Project Damascus has pledged to investigate alleged irregularities in flood control projects in Bohol province, focusing on claims that a single contractor secured most projects under one lawmaker’s district.
Lawyer Marvin Aceron, leading the group, said the investigation hopes to examine documents related to bidding processes and identify officials allegedly involved in corruption before they can seek re-election.
The group claims to possess documents from Rep. Leandro Leviste of Batangas and from the late Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.
“We are looking at a lawmaker in Bohol where only one contractor is working allegedly on all of the contracts or projects of the said official,” Aceron said, without naming the legislator.
Retired Gen. Edgardo Ingking expressed support for the move, calling for swift investigation of alleged anomalies and saying such probes are “long overdue to provide justice to Boholanos against corrupt officials.”
The announcement comes amid a nationwide flood control scandal that has implicated several lawmakers and contractors in the country.
In January 2026, Bohol Third District Rep. Alexie Tutor was implicated in what media outlets dubbed the “DPWH leaks,” according to reports from Bilyonaryo News Channel.
The investigation allegedly found that 42 projects requested by Tutor for the 2025 budget — worth P2.7 billion pesos — were approved in the General Appropriations Act.
Of the 42 projects, 22 were categorized under “Centi2025” totaling more than P2.5 billion pesos, while 150 million pesos were designated as “allocable,” according to the reports.
Thirteen of the 22 projects reportedly had existing contracts, while others were allegedly placed on “for later release” status.
The reports claimed that only two contractors handled nearly P1.7 billion pesos worth of projects, with links allegedly pointing to companies associated with Construction Workers Solidarity (CWS) party-list Rep. Edwin Gardiola.
In August 2025, calls emerged for investigation of the P3.5 billion peso Loboc River flood control project in Tutor’s district.
The project was suspended for lacking an Environmental Compliance Certificate and missing required resolutions from the Protected Area Management Board, according to DPWH 3rd District Engineer Magiting Cruz.
A separate flood control wall in Barangay Tabajan, Guindulman — a P27.6 million peso project completed in 2022 after five years of construction — suffered damage that DPWH attributed to small-scale mining and sand extraction. The contractor was ordered to repair the damage at its own expense.
In April 2022, BM Nathaniel Binlod publicly questioned Tutor’s ownership of two beach resorts in Anda town while serving in her first term as representative.
Tutor responded sarcastically on social media, thanking opponents for promoting her family’s resort.
Tutor’s office has not publicly responded to the DPWH leaks allegations.
On the other hand, Gardiola, a civil engineer who owns companies including JSG Construction and served as chairman of JAM Liner and Philtranco bus companies, became a first-time congressman in 2022 after succeeding Romeo Momo as CWS representative. He also serves as vice chairman of the House appropriations committee.
Since Gardiola entered Congress in 2022, construction firms owned by his immediate family have secured P16 billion to P17 billion pesos in combined DPWH infrastructure projects through 2025, according to investigations by Rappler.
The firms — Newington Builders and S-Ang Construction, owned by his wife, children and siblings — saw a dramatic increase from the P9.5 billion pesos in contracts they won from 2016 to 2022.
In November 2025, Leviste accused Gardiola of being the “biggest contractor in Congress” and alleged he operates a scheme to purchase DPWH project line items from budget gatekeepers and resell them to contractors at a markup, offering kickbacks to district lawmakers who agree to host projects in their jurisdictions.
Leviste claimed Gardiola “pre-ordered” P22 billion pesos in DPWH projects in the 2025 budget, which were later awarded to companies allegedly tied to him.
In January 2026, Leviste released documents he said showed 146 DPWH projects worth approximately P20 billion pesos in the 2025 National Expenditure Program were linked to Gardiola.
The Commission on Audit in November 2025 found that two projects undertaken by E. Gardiola Construction — owned by Edwin’s brother Erwin — in Davao City in 2009 were overpriced and substandard.
Auditors found guardrails, road signs and pavement studs were deficient and substandard, and that the contractor claimed credit for installing guardrails that were already in place.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure and DPWH in November 2025 recommended criminal and administrative complaints against Gardiola and seven other current and former lawmakers.
A 2013 House resolution questioned how JSG Construction, which held only a “B” license from the Philippines Contractors Accreditation Board — limiting contracts to 15 million pesos — was awarded projects worth far more.
A 2015 House investigation found that while no funds were misused, implementation failed to comply with procurement laws.
Gardiola has denied involvement in corruption.
“I categorically deny any involvement in the acts being alleged. These claims are untrue,” he said in a Nov. 27, 2025 statement. “I welcome the chance to face the witness who implicated me, but in the proper forum and under proceedings where my constitutional rights are respected.”
Gardiola won re-election in 2025 with CWS ranking 21st in the party-list race with more than 477,000 votes.
However, a disqualification case was filed against CWS in February 2025 alleging vote-buying after Gardiola attended an event in Lipa, Batangas, where three sedan cars were given as prizes allegedly sponsored by him.
The case’s status remains unclear.
NATIONAL FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL
The country has been engulfed in a corruption scandal involving flood control projects since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed irregularities in his July 2025 State of the Nation Address.
From July 2022 to May 2025, the government implemented more than 9,855 flood control projects worth more than PhP545 billion pesos, with thousands found to be irregular, poorly documented, substandard or entirely non-existent, according to government investigations.
A small group of 15 contractors secured approximately P100 billion pesos — about 18% to 20% of the total budget — with families including the Discayas and the Cos accused of monopolizing contracts through political connections.
Kickbacks reportedly ranged from 25% to 40%.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure, formed in September 2025, has confirmed 421 “ghost” projects out of 8,000 inspected and has recommended charges including plunder and graft against more than 86 individuals.
The scandal prompted the August 2025 resignation of DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, asset freezes totaling P4.67 billion pesos, and the suspension of 16 DPWH personnel.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez resigned in September 2025 amid the investigation.
The government has cut P252 billion pesos from DPWH’s 2026 budget and redirected P225 billion pesos from flood control funds to education and health programs.