Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental — A ₱96.5-million government infrastructure project marked as “completed and fully paid” in 2022 has been exposed as a glaring ghost project, with construction only starting in recent weeks.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), led by special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, together with Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, uncovered the anomaly during an inspection on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
The project—listed as the construction of a concrete revetment—was awarded to St. Timothy Construction Corporation, owned by contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya. Official records show it was already declared finished and settled with full payment three years ago.
However, testimonies from local residents and barangay officials confirmed that work on the site only began two to three weeks ago.
Furious at the discovery, Magalong immediately ordered the suspension of construction and declared the site a “crime scene” pending investigation.
“This is a clear case of large-scale corruption. Projects like these rob communities of protection, progress, and public trust,” Magalong said.
Sec. Dizon, visibly enraged during the inspection, denounced the scam. “This is outright theft of people’s money. To think this was marked complete years ago—yet nothing was here until now. We will not let this pass,” he said.
The ICI has launched a full probe into the case, vowing to hold accountable not just the contractors but also government officials who may have facilitated the approval, payment, and falsification of project records.
The revelation has sparked outrage among residents of Jose Abad Santos, who stressed that the supposed revetment wall could have already protected their community from flooding and coastal erosion had it been built on time.
“This is not just about missing infrastructure—it is about the betrayal of public trust,” Magalong emphasized.
The ₱96.5-million ghost project adds to growing concerns about systemic corruption in government infrastructure programs, with watchdog groups calling for broader audits of similar “completed” but questionable projects nationwide.