MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) announced it filed four additional fraud audit reports (FAR) detailing anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan totaling P275 million.

In a report, it said that this follows previous COA reports on irregularities in Bulacan flood control projects amounting to P297 million and P325 million.

The commission flagged ghost projects, unauthorized relocations, payments for pre-existing structures, and deficiencies in documentation.

“COA found no flood control or riverbank protection structures at the approved project sites, despite official documents declaring the projects completed or substantially accomplished,” COA said in a statement.

The latest reports involved contractors previously implicated in 2025 allegations: SYMS Construction Trading and Wawao Builders.

For SYMS, two projects were flagged: one in Hagonoy costing P67.54 million, built outside the designated Detailed Engineering Design Plans location, and another in Pandi costing P39.58 million, with similar discrepancies.

Wawao Builders’ two projects were also questioned: a P72.37 million project in Baliuag built outside the planned area and resembling a different project, and a P96.49 million project in Plaridel where a pre-existing flood control structure already existed.

Former Department of Public Works and Highways engineers Henry Alcantara, Jaypee Mendoza, Bricer Hernandez, and other officials, along with contractors Sally Santos of SYMS and Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders, are considered liable.

“Those involved may be held liable for graft and corrupt practices under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and for malversation and falsification of documents under the Revised Penal Code. Possible violations of COA Circular No. 2009-001 were also identified,” the commission said.