Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez attends the congressional hearing on the alleged ghost flood control projects at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Brice Hernandez and six others from the Bulacan First District Engineering Office pleaded not guilty to graft charges involving fugitive former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co over an alleged P77-million ghost flood control project in Balagtas, Bulacan.
Those who entered not guilty pleas were dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways officials Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, and Juanito Mendoza, and personnel on floating status Arjay Domasig, Niño Morales, Floralyn Simbulan, and Christina Pineda.
The court gave the four officials on floating status 10 days to explain why they should not be preventively suspended.
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After the reading of the information, the defense pointed out that the criminal information stated that no bail was recommended, despite graft being a bailable offense.
The prosecution then asked the court to amend the information to include a fixed bail of P90,000.
The project material to the case, which was awarded to SYMS Construction Trading, was declared 100-percent complete on May 2, 2025, despite an inspection finding that the flood control structure did not exist, according to the Office of the Ombudsman.
All seven accused previously entered not guilty pleas to their malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division.
Domasig, Hernandez, Pineda and the two Mendozas are also facing separate graft and malversation cases over the alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
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