APRIL 10, 2026 — P400 million handed over in a single transaction — that’s the jaw-dropping claim that shook the Sandiganbayan this week. Contractor Sally Santos, owner of SYMS Construction, testified that former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez received the massive payout in one go, tied to the alleged ghost flood control projects in Pandi, Bulacan. She said she even had to alert a Landbank branch in advance, and despite the heads-up, the withdrawal dragged on for five hours. 

Santos further revealed that Hernandez pocketed P1.72 billion out of the P1.8 billion the government paid SYMS for 42 projects. The remainder, she said, went to her as “royalty fees.” 

Now that’s not just suspicious accounting — it’s daylight robbery dressed up as infrastructure. And while Santos herself is implicated, she’s now a state witness. On March 31, she returned P20 million to the government as part of her deal. Sounds hefty, but compared to the billions already gone, it’s actually just crumbs.

This scandal isn’t just about Hernandez or Santos. It’s about a system where ghost projects drain real money while real communities drown in floods. It’s about how corruption has become so brazen that a P400-million lump sum can change hands without blinking. And it’s about how taxpayers are left choking on the bitter truth: the money meant to protect them from disasters is allegedly being siphoned off by the very people tasked to build defenses.

We deserve accountability, transparency, and leaders who fear the people more than they crave the money.

(Image: Senate of the Philippines)