P500-M scandal rocks Bulacan river dredging project

BAGUIO CITY—  A corruption scandal erupted in Bulacan province after a graft suit was filed against Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando, Vice Gov. Alex Castro, other officials, and a private contractor before the Ombudsman over the P500 million Bulacan Flood Control and River Restoration Project.

In a three-page complaint dated May 1, 2024 reaching the Office of the Ombudsman on May 6, 2024 by a whistleblower named “Francisco Balagtas”, Bulacan’s famed poet’s namesake, it said that a thorough investigation is being sought into the alleged conspiracy between the governor, other officials and private contractor TCSC Corporation’s owners and corporate officers Dionesio Toreja, President, Engr. Bernie Pacheco, Vice President for Mining and others.   

"(There were) acts of corruption and violations of anti-graft laws in the implementation of the Bulacan flood control project under the auspices of (Gov. Fernando, Vice Gov. Castro, and others in conspiracy with TCSC Corporation owners and corporate officers," Balagtas said in his complaint. 

Fernando, other officials and officials of the TCSC Corporation, who have yet to issue their reaction to the complaint, have allegedly violated numerous legal statutes and regulation. These included the provincial officials’ favoring the TCSC to undertake Bulacan dredging projects. 

The complainant also claimed that the private contractor was not duly selected according to government procurement processes but was favored to obtain the project.

“(These actions) have cast a shadow over the integrity and transparency of the public procurement processes associated with the aforementioned project,” Balagtas said.

The complainant accused Fernando, Castro and all other public officials of potentially breaching Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 30 19, more commonly known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which states that "(e) causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”

"The governor may have