MANILA, Philippines — October 25, 2026
A massive alleged corruption scheme involving nearly half a billion pesos in government infrastructure funds has resurfaced, with the Office of the Ombudsman filing 36 criminal charges against six Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel and seven private individuals over questionable road right-of-way compensation payments in General Santos City.
The case involves ₱491,931,120.20 in government funds allegedly released through irregular land compensation transactions connected to the Digos-Makar National Road project in Barangay Lagao.
According to the Ombudsman, investigators uncovered evidence of allegedly falsified property documents, questionable compensation claims and inflated land valuations that formed part of the suspected scheme.
The development raises pressing questions about the effectiveness of government safeguards intended to prevent the misuse of taxpayer funds in public infrastructure projects.
36 Criminal Charges Filed Before Sandiganbayan
The Office of the Ombudsman filed 18 counts of malversation of public funds or property through falsification of public documents under Articles 217 and 171 of the Revised Penal Code.
Another 18 counts involve alleged violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Prosecutors identified 13 respondents allegedly connected to the questionable transactions.
The six DPWH personnel named in the case are:
- Subair Saro Diron — former DPWH Region XII regional director
- Laureano Suan Jr. — former assistant regional director
- Tomas Marquez Rodriguez
- David Lucena Padlan
- Paisal Amerol Padate
- Ansare Mariga Busran — former regional legal officer
Seven private individuals were also named: Wilma Olarte Mamburam, Nelson Ti, Evelyn Parilla Paloso, Rudy Hadji Ong, Marisa Tiongson Seguirre, William Perla Uy and Paul Michael Pabas Bagio.
The criminal allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and the filing of charges does not establish the respondents’ guilt.
How Did ₱491.9 Million in Road Compensation Become Questionable?
At the center of the investigation are 18 parcels of land allegedly affected by the Digos-Makar National Road project in Barangay Lagao, General Santos City.
Road right-of-way compensation is intended to reimburse legitimate property owners when the government acquires private land for public infrastructure.
However, investigators alleged that the DPWH Region XII technical working group approved payments totaling ₱491.9 million to claimants whose supporting documents were later determined to have been falsified.
The investigation was supported by three reports submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation in 2018 and 2019.
A key element of the case is a 2017 affidavit executed by witness Roberto Catapang Jr., who reportedly admitted involvement in a group that allegedly coordinated with government officials to collect public money using fabricated land acquisition documents.
The allegations suggest that irregularities may have occurred not only in the submission of property claims but also in the government procedures used to evaluate and approve them.
The Land Valuation Issue: Why a 2009 Price Matters
Another major finding concerns the valuation of properties covered by the compensation payments.
According to investigators, a property appraisal rate of ₱3,500 per square meter from 2009 was allegedly applied to land acquired by the government in the early 1990s.
The Ombudsman said this resulted in inflated compensation claims.
The substantial difference between the acquisition period and the appraisal year has become an important part of the prosecution’s allegations.
Determining the lawful valuation of the affected properties, verifying legitimate ownership and examining the authenticity of submitted documents will be central to assessing how the questioned payments were processed.
Former DPWH Legal Officer Ordered Dismissed
Apart from the criminal proceedings, the Ombudsman also ordered the dismissal from government service of former DPWH Region XII legal officer Ansare Mariga Busran in a separate administrative decision.
The dismissal is distinct from the criminal charges and should not be interpreted as a criminal conviction in the ₱491.9-million case.
Earlier Right-of-Way Convictions Add New Context
The latest case follows an earlier Sandiganbayan ruling involving two of the same former DPWH officials.
In a decision reported in April 2026, the anti-graft court found Tomas Rodriguez and David Padlan guilty of graft and falsification charges involving approximately ₱5.3 million in fraudulent right-of-way claims connected to a separate road project in Soccsksargen.
That case concerned payments for land associated with the Cotabato-Surallah National Road.
While the earlier conviction provides important background, the ₱491.9-million General Santos case is a separate prosecution whose allegations must be proven independently.
Bigger Questions About Infrastructure Spending
The latest charges arrive amid continuing public scrutiny of infrastructure spending, procurement practices and corruption allegations involving DPWH projects.
Separate investigations have examined alleged ghost farm-to-market roads and questionable flood-control projects in other parts of the Philippines.
The General Santos right-of-way case, however, concerns land acquisition compensation rather than construction quality or the alleged nonexistence of completed infrastructure.
Despite those differences, the controversies underscore a common governance concern: whether public money is sufficiently protected by verification, documentation and approval procedures before funds are released.
For taxpayers, the allegations raise critical questions.
How were the land ownership documents authenticated? Were proper valuation standards followed? Which officials were responsible for checking the compensation claims before approving payment?
And if the government paid hundreds of millions of pesos on the basis of allegedly fraudulent documents, what measures can prevent similar irregularities in future infrastructure projects?
What Happens Next?
With 36 criminal charges filed before the Sandiganbayan, the legal process will determine the individual criminal responsibility, if any, of the respondents.
The prosecution will have to establish the necessary elements of the charged offenses, while the accused retain their right to contest the allegations and present their defense.
The case could also renew calls for stronger oversight of government land acquisition, particularly in verifying claimants, establishing lawful property valuations and ensuring public accountability.
The central question now is whether the prosecution can establish how nearly ₱492 million in questioned compensation payments passed through government approval mechanisms — and who, if anyone, will ultimately be held criminally responsible.
