THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it will request the freezing of nearly P500 million worth of vehicles registered under the names of several DPWH officials and employees, as well as private contractors linked to anomalies in government flood control projects.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon bared in a press conference on Wednesday, September 24, the initial list of 26 personalities and their vehicles amounting to a total of P474,483,120. 

The list, provided by the Land Transportation Office (LTO), included dismissed Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, former assistant engineers Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, and contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah Rowena Discaya. The DPWH had filed graft and malversation of public funds against them before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Dizon said he will submit the initial list of cars and vehicles to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) on Wednesday. He added that he has also written three letters to the AMLC, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), requesting them to freeze the units.

“Ibig sabihin nito, hindi pwedeng ibenta. At kung may mga kababayan tayo na nakikipag-transaksyon dito at gustong bumili ng mga sasakyan na ito, magdalawang-isip na po kayo kasi pati po kayo madadamay dito,” Dizon said.

“Huwag niyo pong bibilhin ‘yang mga asset na ‘yan kasi ‘yan po malamang mafi-freeze na rin ng ating mga otoridad sa mga susunod na araw,” he advised.

Here is the initial list from the LTO, bearing the estimated amounts of vehicles registered under the DPWH officials and employees, as well as private contractors:

• Henry C. Alcantara – P670,000
• Brice Ericson Diaz Hernandez – P35,342,000
• Jaypee De Leon Mendoza – P18,504,000
• John Michael Ramos – P2,412,600
• Ernesto Galang – P3,851,600
• Lorenzo Alcoriza Pagtalunan – P2,850,000
• Norberto Santos – P2,416,500
• Jaime Hernandez – P2,271,800
• Floralyn Simnbulan – No estimated amount indicated
• Juanito Mendoza – P7,957,120
• Roberto Roque – P568,700
• Benedict Matawaran – P918,000
• Cristina Mae Del Rosario Pineda – P2,670,000
• Paul Jayson Fronda Duya – P3,143,000
• Merg Jaron Caparas Laus – P2,877,000
• Lemuel Ephraim San Diego Roque – P2,386,000
• Arjay Salvador Domasig – P2,735,900
• John Carlo Cayetano Rivera – P2,046,000
• John Benex Santos Francisco – P1,980,000
• Jolo Mari Villafuerte Tayao – P1,808,000
• Ma. Roma Angeline D. Rimando – P26,500
• Cezerah Rowena Cruz Discaya – P218,166,000
• Pacifico F. Discaya II – P59,085,800
• Mark Allan Villamor Arevalo – P16,685,000
• Sally Nicolas Santos – P30,016,700
• Robert Tecson Imperio – P53,121,900

Last week, the AMLC secured a freeze order from the Court of Appeals, covering a total of 592 bank accounts, three insurance policies, 73 motor vehicles, and 18 real properties belonging to individuals and contractors linked to the anomalous flood control projects.

Zaldy Co’s P4.7 billion air assets

In the same briefing, Dizon said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) already reported on air assets of Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, which amounted to a total of P4.7 billion.

Co’s air assets are registered under different corporate names: $74.650 million under Misibis Aviation & Development Corporation, $7.940 million under Hi-Tone Construction Development Corporation, and $2 million under QM Builder.

Dizon said he already informed the AMLC, DOJ, and ICI about Co’s air assets, stressing that he would “leave it up to them on what to do with these assets.”

“We are forwarding this to DOJ, ICI, and AMLC today,” he said.

Co, who is still abroad, was ordered to return to the Philippines in 10 days after newly-elected House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III revoked his travel clearance last week, amid his alleged involvement in the flood control scandal. The congressman has denied anew allegations that he received kickbacks from the flood control projects.

Explain alleged ‘lavish lifestyle,’ involvement in flood control issue

Meanwhile, Dizon ordered 10 DPWH regional directors and district engineers to explain their alleged luxurious lifestyles and involvement in the substandard projects, as well as failure to cooperate with the ongoing probe into the flood control mess.

He said that show cause orders were issued to the following personalities:

• National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Director (RD) Gerard Opulencia – Lavish lifestyle
• Region VII RD Danilo Villa – Lavish lifestyle
• Former Region IV-B RD Gerald Pacanan – Substandard projects
• Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) RD Khadaffy Tanggol of – Failure to cooperate with ongoing investigation 
• Atty. Brando Raya, Right of Way Acquisition and Legal Division (ROWALD) Chief of Region VII – Lavish lifestyle
• Former Las Piñas-Muntinlupa District Engineer (DE) Isabelo Baleros – Substandard projects
• Pampanga 1st DE Almer Miranda – Substandard projects
• La Union DE Gil B. Lorenzo – Substandard project
• Quezon City 1st DE Arturo Gonzales Jr. – Substandard project
• Quezon City 2nd DE Johnny L. Protesta Jr. – Substandard project

Dizon emphasized that the names he mentioned were just an initial list based on the reports and evidence submitted by various sources.

“We are giving them five days to submit their written explanations of the reports that we have received against them,” the DPWH secretary said.

“Depending on the results of the investigation, appropriate administrative charges will be filed against them,” he added.