The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered a six-month preventive suspension of 12 officials linked to the anomalous P289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
Ten of the suspended officials are from DPWH‑Mimaropa, including maintenance division chief Juliet Calvo and regional director Gerald Pacanan, while the remaining two served on the Bids and Awards Committee.
The suspension stems from administrative cases filed alongside criminal charges of graft and malversation, following substandard project implementation.
Most of the DPWH officials are already in government custody, except for Timojen Sacar.
Meanwhile, former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co and several private contractors connected to the project are still at large, reportedly in various countries, including Portugal, New Zealand, and the United States.
Source: PhilNews24 | December 3, 2025
