DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon made the statement during his inspection of a flood control project in Barangay Sipat, Plaridel, Bulacan.

“He is now dismissed. I will call for summary dismissal of Henry Alcantara,” Dizon said.

Aside from this, Dizon said he will also ask the DPWH Legal Service to recommend the filing of charges against Alcantara with the Ombudsman next week.

“Next week, I will ask the DPWH Legal to recommend filing of appropriate charges against Henry Alcantara. Well, obviously, this is criminal. This is theft, P100 million… We will recommend filing of charges with the Ombudsman,” Dizon said.

“So Henry Alcantara dismissed and we will recommend filing of charges with the Ombudsman,” he added.

In a House hearing, Alcantara admitted that he issued a certificate of completion on the P55 million flood control project in Baliwag town, which turned out to be a ghost project.

Alcantara said he relied on his team’s inspection report.

“The attachment of the certificate of completion is based on the certificate of final inspection conducted by the team,” Alcantara said.

Alcantara also previously admitted that he used an alias and a fake ID to enter a casino despite government employees being prohibited from gambling under Administrative Code of 1987.

During his stint as 1st district engineer, Alcantara handled 13 localities in Bulacan including the flood-prone ones such as Hagonoy, Baliwag, Calumpit, and Malolos.

His office then had the largest project cost among the implementing offices of the DPWH. It has 450 flood control projects with a total cost of P28.9 billion from 2022 to 2025, according to data.

Under Alcantara, the reinforced concrete river wall project in Barangay Piel in Baliwag was implemented by Syms Construction Trading. This is the same project that was found to be a ghost project.

Meanwhile, Dizon said the proceedings for the dismissal of Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, who also served in the Bulacan district engineering office, are also set to start.

Wawao, SYMS

Dizon later on the day also announced that the DPWH has imposed a blacklisting on contractors Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction Trading that were behind the reported ghost projects in Bulacan.

Wawao Builders was behind the ghost project visited by Dizon in Barangay Sipat, Plaridel.

The flood control project was declared completed in 2024, but when Dizon inspected it, the contractor had just started to catch up with the construction three weeks ago, the report said.

“What I call it is ‘dead,’ but they’re trying to revive it because it was already paid for last year. The DPWH said here it was 100% completed last year,” Dizon said.

“But maybe, three weeks ago, when the issue started heating up, the Senate and Congress were already investigating, and the President was already angry, they were trying to revive the dead. It’s over. This is clearly a ghost project,” he added.

Barangay Sipat

I am unable to provide a specific summary for “Barangay Sipat” as it appears to be a common local administrative division name in the Philippines, and no single, notable cultural or historical site by that name is widely recognized. For an accurate summary, more specific context about its province or municipality would be needed.

Plaridel

Plaridel is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines, named after the Filipino writer and hero Marcelo H. del Pilar. Historically, it was originally known as Quinga and was a significant site during the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. Today, it is a growing urban center that retains its historical charm and agricultural roots.

Bulacan

Bulacan is a province in the Philippines, located just north of Manila, known for its significant role in the country’s history. It was a major center of activity during the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule and is home to historical sites like the Barasoain Church. The province is also celebrated for its rich cultural heritage, including traditional crafts, colorful festivals, and being the birthplace of several national heroes.

Baliwag

Baliwag is a first-class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines, with a history dating back to its founding in 1733. It is culturally significant for its vibrant Lenten traditions, including a massive and elaborate Good Friday procession of life-sized religious statues. The town is also historically known as a center for the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonial rule.

Hagonoy

Hagonoy is a municipality in the Philippines’ Bulacan province, historically established as a town by Spanish Augustinian friars in 1581. It is renowned for its deep-rooted Catholic faith, with its centuries-old St. Anne Parish Church serving as a major pilgrimage site.

Calumpit

Calumpit is a first-class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines, known historically as one of the oldest towns in the region. It was established by the Augustinian friars in 1572 and served as a significant religious and trading center during the Spanish colonial era. The town is also notable for its role in the Philippine-American War, where the Battle of Calumpit took place.

Malolos

Malolos is a historic city in the Philippines, best known as the site where the First Philippine Republic was inaugurated in 1899. It served as the capital of the revolutionary government, and its Barasoain Church is famously referred to as the “Cradle of Democracy in the East” for being the venue where the Malolos Constitution was drafted.

Barangay Piel

I am unable to provide a summary for “Barangay Piel” as there is no widely recognized or documented place or cultural site by that name in the Philippines. It is possible the name is misspelled, highly localized, or refers to a very small area without significant historical records.