THE ENORMITY OF the controversy may have compelled the government to commence a purge that saw suspended Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara as the first casualty.
In an ambush interview, no less than Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon announced Alcantara’s dismissal from government service amid the probe into anomalous flood control projects.
“He is now dismissed. I will call for summary dismissal of Henry Alcantara,” Dizon told reporters during an inspection of another flood control project in Bulacan.
NO CHARGES YET
When asked as to what awaits the sacked official, Dizon hinted at asking the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Legal Service Office to recommend the filing of charges against Alcantara with the Ombudsman.
“I will ask the DPWH Legal to recommend filing of appropriate charges against Henry Alcantara. Well, obviously, criminal ito. Pagnanakaw ito eh, P100 million… We will recommend filing of charges with the Ombudsman,” Dizon assured.
Alcantara, who hails from Bocaue town in Bulacan, began his career in the DPWH in 1994.
“Nagsimula po ako job order, ang item ko po ay laborer 1, naging laborer 2, naging engineer 1, every six months po because I was a casual employee at that time,” Alcantara was quoted as saying before the House Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday.
VILLAR PROTEGE
Alcantara rose to prominence in 2019 after then DPWH Secretary Mark Villar assigned him as the district engineer of Bulacan’s first engineering district.
During the congressional hearing, he was asked as to how Villar picked him among many other “equally able” engineers in the DPWH, he replied — “Nag-apply lang po ako.”
As Bulacan’s 1st district engineering office head, Alcantara called shots for 13 localities in Bulacan including the flood-prone ones such as Hagonoy, Baliwag, Calumpit, and Malolos.
Data lifted from the Sumbong Sa Pangulo website showed that Alcantaras engineering district 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.
Under Alcantara’s helm, the reinforced concrete river wall project (that was later found to be non-existent) in Barangay Piel in Baliwag was implemented by Syms Construction Trading.