By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways-Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez on Tuesday detailed before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee how they delivered suitcases filled with cash amounting to about PHP1 billion to Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co through his aide.
At the resumption of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Hernandez and former project engineer Jaypee Mendoza also revealed that all infrastructure projects in Bulacan since 2019 were substandard due to systemic corruption.
Hernandez said they transported more than 20 suitcases loaded with cash, each containing around PHP50 million, using six to seven vans.
Deliveries were first brought to the basement of a five-star hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City before being moved to a penthouse, and later to Co’s residence at Valle Verde 6 in Pasig City.
Co is reportedly in the United States for medical treatment but House of Representatives Speaker Faustino Dy III had revoked his travel clearance.
In a letter dated Sept. 18, Dy informed Co that “your existing Travel Clearance for your personal trip is hereby revoked effective immediately” and that he must return within 10 days.
Hernandez said they never handed money directly to Co but to his aide identified only as “Paul.”
“Nag-deliver din po kami ng pera pero hindi po directly kay Cong. Zaldy. Ang pinaka-usap po sa amin, ‘yung tao niya pong pangalan ni Paul (We also delivered money but not directly to Cong. Zaldy. We were instructed to hand it over to his man named Paul),” he said.
The witnesses added that their superior, former DPWH District Engineer Henry Alcantara, gave them instructions on the deliveries and that DPWH drivers Andre Balatbat and Christian Santiago also transported cash.
Both failed to attend the hearing despite invitations, prompting Senate Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson to order subpoenas.
In his sworn affidavit during the same hearing, Alcantara identified Co as the “top proponent” of flood control insertions amounting to PHP35 billion from 2022 to 2025.
Pressed by Senator Erwin Tulfo, Hernandez admitted that all flood control projects in Bulacan’s First District were substandard because of commissions ranging from 25 to 30 percent of project costs, allegedly going to political proponents. For multipurpose buildings, the cut was about 10 percent.
“Lahat po ng project sa amin may proponent po, may obligasyon pong SOP (All projects under us had a proponent, with corresponding SOP [standard operating procedure] obligations),” Hernandez said, confirming that the “obligations” were for politicians.
During questioning by Senator Bam Aquino, Hernandez admitted that all DPWH projects in Bulacan — from classrooms and hospitals to bridges, roads, and even streetlights — were substandard.
“We’re investigating flood control, ngayon inaamin lahat ng proyekto, pati classroom, pati hospital, pati tulay, pati kalsada, lahat substandard,” Aquino said, to which Hernandez replied: “Yes po, your honor.”
“Wala pong tumama kung ano iyong naka-specify sa plano. Hindi po na-meet lahat iyon (None of the projects matched the specifications in the plan. None of them met the requirements),” Hernandez said.
Tulfo then raised concerns over the durability of the structures in case of an earthquake.
“If the building is substandard, paano pag nagkaroon po ng earthquake, how safe are we in government infrastructures now? Lalo na po ‘yung mga gawa ninyo sa Bulacan. Paano pag tinamaan ng intensity 5, intensity 6, mamamatay ang mga bata sa eskwelahan, mamamatay ang mga pasyente sa hospital natin (What if an earthquake happens, how safe are we in government infrastructures now? Especially those built in Bulacan. What if an intensity 5 or intensity 6 quake hits, children in schools will die, patients in our hospitals will die)?” Tulfo asked.
Hernandez said official plans were altered to accommodate bloated budgets that allowed proponents to skim funds.
“For example po, hospital… binabago po ‘yung plano. Para meron pong pagkukunan po ng expenses kagaya po nung [para sa] proponent (For example, hospitals… we change the plan so there will be a source of funds for the proponent),” he said.
Hernandez agreed with Tulfo’s observation that even before a bidding, the contract price was already bloated for the sake of the proponents.
When asked to guarantee the safety of the projects in the event of a strong earthquake, Mendoza assured senators: “Yes, Your Honor.”
He explained that cost-padding was done by manipulating project specifications.
“Kung eto po ‘yung standard na plano, halimbawa 2×2 ang nakasaad, sa program po nagiging 4×4. Kaya po lumalaki ang budget para makuha ‘yung panggastos ng proponents (If the standard plan says 2×2, in the program it becomes 4×4. That’s how the budget is bloated to cover proponents’ expenses),” Mendoza said.
Tulfo expressed doubts that altered designs and bloated budgets could ensure structural integrity.
“’Yung pandoktor ninyo doon, pwede pong magastos sa ibang proyekto sana dito sa Pilipinas. Pero hindi, napupunta lang sa bulsa ng mga proponent, napupunta sa mga panggastos (The money you use to doctor these projects could have gone to other projects in the country. But instead, it ends up in the pockets of proponents, spent elsewhere),” Tulfo said. (PNA)
