SOCIAL MEDIA IS abuzz about three very powerful billionaires in Mindanao, whose family-owned businesses have reportedly been cornering public works contracts in Surigao del Sur solely because of the influence as legislators in their respective districts.
The three are being accused by netizens– and some of their constituents– of conflict of interest (using their positions as legislators) and for perpetuating families and clans in power to ensure the sustainability of their businesses. Some say they have literally transformed political positions to further their business interests.
In particular, former congressman, now Surigao Governor Johnny Ty Pimentel is under attack over his eight imported luxury vehicles that are housed in a newly-built state-of-the art P1 billion garage in one of Pimentel’s properties.
The photo of the garage in social media was matched with the architectural design of a reputable interior design company with that of a footage of Pimentel’s conference with the Department of Health CARAGA during the launch of the Philippine multisectoral nutrition project in his province, according to a report of Bilyonaryo News Channel.
PIMENTEL’S TELL TALE
A subsequent post showed Pimentel owning a construction company, the J & L Construction Corp., which the Philippine Construction Association Board confirmed as wholly owned by the governor as the authorized managing officer.
Pimentel was a former congressman representing the second district of Surigao del Sur from 2016 to 2025 — having served as deputy speaker of the House from 2019 to 2020. He was also the vice governor of Surigao from 1995 to 1998 and later governor from 2010 to 2016.
A native of Tandag, Surigao Pimentel’s father, Vicente Pimentel Sr., has two brothers– Vicente Jr and Alexander, who take turns in sharing the different political positions with him in maintaining their hold of the province.
From 2001 to 2010, during the gubernatorial term of his brother, Vicente Pimentel Jr., he served as the provincial administrator.
In 2016, Pimentel, running as the LP candidate, won a congressional seat and officially transferred his voter’s registration to Bislig. He secured a second term in 2019 and was elected Deputy House Speaker in July 2019 and was designated spokesperson in the house for PDP-Laban but was ousted on December 7, 2020 and appointed chair of the House Special Committee on Strategic Intelligence.
Pimentel was elected governor in 2025.
GRANDIOUS GARDIOLA
Gardiola is a civil engineer and transport executive — having chaired the Jam Liner and PhilTranco. He is currently serving as first nominee of the CWS Partylist in the House. CWS stands for Construction Workers Solidarity. Records show he owns a P300-million mansion in Newport.
Gardiola was born in Mataasnakahoy, Batangas and finished civil engineering from the National University in Manila. He owned several construction and real estate firms, including the JSG Construction (named after his wife, Judy Silva Gardiola) and Virkar Realty Corp.
In 2009, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) reported that JSG Construction is owned by Gardiola and his wife Judy. Edwin’s brother Elmer and the latter’s wife Elaine are owners of E. Gardiola Construction, while Elmer is also listed as an incorporator of JSG.
The PCIJ reports that JSG and E. Gardiola Construction was among the top ten contractors working with the DPWH from 2000 to 2008 under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In a 2014, a House inquiry showed that Gardiola’s firm, JSG Construction was implicated in: a) P6 billion worth of unreported DPWH projects during the Arroyo administration; b) Securing “Triple A” contracts despite only possessing a “B” license from the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB).
First elected as CWS partylist representative in 2022, Gardiola was given the Committee on Public Works and Highways and Committee on Transportation. And in 2024, he again won as CWS first nominee, despite a disqualification case filed against CWS in Batangas.
In an event of gubernatorial candidate Jay Manalo Ilagan, Gardiola at the Barako Fest in Lipa sponsored three sedan cars as raffle prizes, an act that constituted vote buying.
In 2012, the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed criminal complaints against Gardiola and his companies for: a) Purchasing undeclared luxury vehicles (including BMW, Lexus, and Jaguar models) between 2006–2009 despite declaring minimal income; 2) Unpaid dues for the purchase of three Lexus vehicles in 2009 as a corporate officer of Woodheights.
MOMO AKA SUPREMO
On Sept. 24, Surigao del Sur Rep. Romeo Momo (1st district) denied allegations of conflict of interest in his role as legislator and his family’s construction business which secured government infrastructure contracts
“There is none because I am not part of the corporation, and besides, they are not doing business in my district,” Momo told the Inquirer. But his son, provincial board member Ruel Momo owns the Surigao La Suerte Corp.
Momo, as chair of the House committee on public works and co-chairs the House infracom that is currently investigating alleged irregularities in flood control projects of the DPWH. Momo has worked with DPWH and became its undersecretary in charge of Mindanao.
On September 22, Momo took to social media to deny owning a private plane, a claim that went viral in a post showing him with Butuan City Rep. Jose Aquino and Misamis Oriental Rep. Bambi Emano aboard the aircraft, which he clarified is registered to Palawan Rep. Pepito Alvarez. The plane’s tail number was RP-C2226. He branded the viral post as “fake news” and claimed it was operated by a dummy account of his political rivals.
Momo debunked allegations that he funneled ₱1.1 billion worth of projects to his son’s company, saying the projects mentioned were located in the second district when Gov. Johnny Pimentel was still its congressman.
He explained that DPWH records showing La Suerte Corp. bagging projects in District 1—including a ₱4-million road project in Carmen (2022), a ₱9.7-million road project in Tandag City (2021), and a ₱19.3-million slope protection structure in Cortes (2022)—were awarded before he was elected congressman of the first district.
Momo stressed that the contracts were part of the 2021 budget under then-Rep. Prospero Pichay, although at the time he was already a party-list representative of the Construction Workers Solidarity.
The lawmaker also denied being involved in so-called budget “insertions” allegedly made with Ako Bicol Rep. Rizaldy Co, chair of the House appropriations committee, now at the center of congressional hearings on the alleged “flood control scam.”
“The so-called ghost projects can only be carried out by DPWH personnel in charge of implementation,” he said, adding that contractor payments require the approval of at least 10 DPWH officials.
Still, questions linger over his family’s business interests. A Bilyonaryo News Channel report last September 12 said Surigao La Suerte Corp., owned by his son Ruel, cornered 31 DPWH projects worth ₱1.1 billion across Caraga from 2017 to 2024. Momo’s wife is also the vice mayor of Tandag City.
Despite this, Momo expressed openness to Akbayan Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno’s proposal to make lawmakers’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) public. Diokno and other legislators filed House Resolution No. 271, directing the House secretary-general to release all members’ SALNs.