Probe on 'ghost project' in Eastern Samar sought

ABANDONED PROJECT Photo shows an abandoned road project in Barangay Barobo, Llorente, Eastern Samar. PHOTO BY NESTOR ABREMATEA

The alleged anomalous infrastructure project was supposed to be implemented in the municipality of Llorente in Eastern Samar by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Eastern Samar Engineering District.

On Jan. 22, 2025, Mayor Daniel Boco of Llorente, Eastern Samar wrote a letter to 4PS Party-list Rep. Jonathan Clemente Abalos to inform about the existence of a project in his town, which may have been anomalously implemented due to the fact that 90 percent of the contract amount has been disbursed but little work was done by the private contractor.

This prompted Abalos to file House Resolution 2188 calling on the Committee on Public Accounts to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into what appears now an abandoned project in the municipality.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires was informed that the infrastructure project of the DPWH Eastern Samar Engineering District Office in Borongan City under Contract ID 221B0128 calls for the construction of a 1.9-kilometer concrete road traversing Barangay Barobo-Can-ato-Candoros-Borak-Magtino in Llorente, Eastern Samar with an allocated budget of P96,499,999.33.

Abalos' letter complaint was then relayed to the Office of the Ombudsman in Tacloban City on March 4, 2025, a copy of which was furnished The Manila Times.

The project was awarded to 888 ACY Enterprises owned by Amelia Yap of Sogod, Southern Leyte with effectivity commencing on June 16, 2022, and an original stipulated completion date of March 12, 2023, which has been revised and extended to Aug. 7, 2023.

Mayor Boco said despite the lapse of the project's completion deadline, the road remains unfinished with the contractor having merely cemented a portion and cleared the trail of vegetation without completing the concreting works as mandated under the contractual agreement.

The letter of Mayor Boco disclosed that the contractor has billed and received the payments exceeding 90 percent of the contract amount despite the project's non-completion, thereby raising concerns of possible fraud.

Officials of the DPWH Eastern Samar District Engineering Office were allegedly responsible for the release of the payments despite the project's non-implementation.

These are Engr. Alvin Ignacio (then-district engineer), Engr. Domcelio Natividad (then assistant-district engineer), Engr. Michael Ador (construction chief), Engr. Judy Elgera (quality assurance chief), Engr. Marlon Kuizon (project engineer), Amalia Yap, proprietor of 888 AMC Enterprises with address in Makati City; and Engr. Vincent Estrella of Borongan City, project sub-contractor.

The Manila Times tried to reach Ignacio and Natividad through their email, but received no replies, and Yap through a letter sent via a courier.

The Manila Times also visited Natividad in his office at DPWH Eastern Samar Engineering District Office at Barangay Alang-alang, Borongan City in Eastern Samar but he refused to grant an audience.

DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon said he was not aware of the issue when asked by The Manila Times.

Barangay officials of Barobo, Llorente, Eastern Samar said they want the project to be completed as it is a vital road link to other mountain villages of Llorente.

The abandoned DPWH project could not be noticed by the public as it is located some 10 to 15 kilometers up in the mountain.