THE Commission on Audit (COA) has submitted fraud audit reports on five flood control projects in Bulacan with a combined contract cost of P342.3 million, the agency said Monday.

The reports covered the construction of flood mitigation structures in Frances village in Calumpit with a contract cost of P77.1 million; in Sta. Lucia village with a contract cost of P74 million; rehabilitation of a river protection structure in Bulusan in Calumpit with a contract cost of P96.4 million; a flood control structure in the villages of Buguion-Sergio Bayan-Balite-San Marcos-Palimbang with a contract cost of P39.1 million; and a reinforced concrete river wall in Piel village in Baliuag with a contract cost of P55.7 million.

“The findings of the Commission on Audit shall form part of the evidentiary record in the proceedings before the Office of the Ombudsman and may be used as basis in the determination of administrative and/or criminal liability, including possible charges,” COA said in a statement.

The projects, it said, were implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO).

In Frances village in Calumpit, the project “was listed as 100 percent complete,” but what was built was just 77.9 meters, “way short of the 124 meters stated in the original proposal,” COA said.

COA also saw what it described as “shoddy workmanship issues” and that “cracks along the dike crest were observed” and that “uneven concrete surfaces along the structure were evident.”

It also said that Wawao Builders was paid an additional P3.1 million “without any documentation.”

In Sta. Lucia village, with a contract cost of P74 million, supporting documents were missing in the project for flood mitigation structures.

“The work claimed to be almost 90 percent complete, but auditors could not confirm this on-site,” COA said.

“Inspectors saw the dike tilting, misaligned, and riddled with cracks,” it added.

In Bulusan in Calumpit, auditors “found a massive P38,493,511.73 discrepancy between the agency’s project cost and COA’s evaluated cost.”

It added, “Several red flags were observed.”

“Dredging and embankment work was overstated. The measurements used were wrong, and no survey or logbooks were submitted to probe the volume of soil removed. In other words, the required supporting documents to prove the work done were not submitted to COA.”

The contractor was St. Timothy Construction Corp.

In the villages of Buguion-Sergio Bayan-Balite-San Marcos-Palimbang, COA said it found that “only 24,232 kilograms of steel plates were installed, even though the agency had paid for 48,465 kilograms, leading to an overpayment of P3,034,692.33.”

It added that inspectors “found a hole in the concrete structure, which could worsen over time.”

It also said that the project cost “increased through an undated change order.” This, it said, was “a red flag indicating circumvention of relevant procurement laws and regulations.”

COA flags fraud in P342M Bulacan flood control projects, This news data comes from:http://ajmhi.ycyzqzxyh.com

“Despite these issues, St. Timothy’s project was still declared ‘100 percent complete’ and issued a certificate of completion by DPWH-Bulacan 1st DEO,” COA said.

In Piel village in Baliuag, with a contract cost of P55.7 million for a reinforced concrete river wall, COA said there was “a clear indication that the project has not commenced implementation. Yet, based on records, SYMS Construction Trading has been fully paid as of June 30, 2025.”