Newly appointed Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon called for the summary dismissal of suspended Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara following the discovery of another ghost flood control project worth P96.5 million in Plaridel.

In an interview with reporters, Dizon announced that aside from summary dismissal, he will also ask the legal team of the agency to recommend filing of criminal charges against Alcantara.

"I will call for a summary dismissal of Henry Alcantara and next week I will ask DPWH legal to recommend filing of appropriate charges against Alcantara," he said.

Dizon said he will process the dismissal of two other public works officials. He added these two will be facing charges before the Office of the Ombudsman along with Alcantara.

He added he will order the ''infinite blacklisting'' of two contractors.

Dizon said based on the document, the project which cost around P100 million that was started on March 20, 2024 with the duration of 270 days was completed in less than three months or on June 11, 2024.

"Date collected, meaning it was paid to Wawao Builders (the contractor of the flood control project) on July 21, 2024," he said.

Dizon said it is very clear that it is another ghost project as barangay officials in the area confirmed that the actual construction started around three weeks ago although the document noted that it was completed last June 11 2024.

"It is already a dead project that they are trying to revive... Maybe because the controversies in the flood control projects were highlighted three weeks ago, there is an investigation in the Senate, Congress and the president is getting angry. It is clearly a ghost project but because of the developments now they are trying to revive it," he said.

Alcantara was suspended by former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. found out about the ghost project awarded to the SYMS Construction Trading in the province following his inspection last month. Robina Asido/DMS