Politics Events Country 2025-11-27T04:19:47+00:00

Eight Philippine Officials Plead Not Guilty to Graft Charges

Eight officials in the Philippines pleaded not guilty to corruption charges related to a flood control project. Hearings and arraignment dates have been set by the court.


Eight Philippine Officials Plead Not Guilty to Graft Charges

Eight officials implicated in the alleged flood control anomaly in Oriental Mindoro pleaded “not guilty” to graft charges during their arraignment before the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division.

Those who entered their pleas were: • Gerald Pacanan, DPWH Regional Director • Gene Ryan Altea, DPWH Assistant Regional Director • Dominic Serrano, DPWH Assistant Regional Director • Felisardo Casuno, DPWH Project Engineer III • Lerma Cayco, DPWH Accountant IV • Dennis Abagon, Officer-in-Charge of the Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division • Engineer Montrexis Tamayo, OIC of DPWH-Mimaropa’s Planning and Design Division

DPWH Chief Maintenance Division officer Juliet Calvo failed to appear and will be arraigned on December 2.

The court scheduled pre-conference hearings for the graft case on January 9, 19, and 26, as well as February 5, 12, 19, and 26 in 2026.

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division set the arraignment of the same group for a separate malversation case on December 2.