CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — “Congtractor yan eh… People didn’t believe that there would be accountability whatsoever in violating the law, harap-harapan kasi nga walang manghuhuli. Bawal iyan eh. It’s a prohibited activity, it’s a conflict of interest found in so many laws on corruption so mahirap na makatakas diyan.”
A mouthful there from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Nov. 20, confirming that former House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. is among lawmakers being investigated for alleged involvement in the flood control anomalies.
“Congtractor” is a recent portmanteau referencing congressmen who also own or manage construction companies that have secured contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In the case of the former Pampanga 3rd District congressman, a bigtime infrastructure development player bears his very name — A.D. Gonzales Jr. Construction & Trading Co., Inc.
Of the Top 10 contractors that snagged the lion’s share of DPWH flood control contracts in Pampanga culled from the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website last August, A.D. Gonzales Construction and Trading Co. Inc. ranked Top 5 but was awarded the largest funded single flood control projects in the province, to wit:
1) the Abacan River diking and slope protection project in Mexico, Pampanga at a cost of P270.194 million reported completed on March 6, 2024; and
2) flood control works on the Pasig-Potrero River and the San Fernando-Bacolor section of the San Fernando-Sto. Tomas-Minalin Tail Dike at a cost of P257.255 million and completed on June 5, 2024. (Erroneously placed in La Union in the sumbong website).
One more project listed under A.D. Gonzales Construction is another Abacan River diking, also in Mexico but distinguished as Phase I, with a cost of P96.496 million and completed on Nov. 23, 2023.
It was precisely these projects that haled Gonzales to the Office of the Ombudsman in September 2023.
Complainant Terence Napao, chairman of Barangay Sto. Cristo, and president of the Association of Barangay Captains in Mexico, Pampanga alleged that Gonzales and DPWH officials “conspired to corner” P611,577,718.40 worth of flood mitigating projects which were awarded to the construction company bearing the congressman’s name and with business address adjacent to the residence of the then-deputy speaker in the capital city.
Family enterprise
In his complaint, Napao claimed that Gonzales owned 77% of the shares of A.D. Gonzales Jr. Construction and Trading Co. Inc. until 2015, when he held a 25% share.
According to Napao, Gonzales’ son Aurelio Brenz, then a councilor now vice mayor of the capital city, became the company’s president and majority shareholder, while the congressman’s daughter, then-provincial board member now Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Alyssa Michaela Gonzales, sat as secretary and treasurer.
Another Gonzales son, Aurelio III, is the company’s vice president while another daughter, Aurelio Michaline is a director along with the congressman’s elder sister Zenaida Quiambao.
“Any right-minded citizen would easily figure out why and how a senior deputy speaker, a city councilor and a bokal (provincial board member) owning a construction company and with DPWH officials under their beck and call were favored with hundreds of millions worth of government contracts,” Napao alleged at the time. “With huge projects such as these, it would be the height of naiveté not to sense a collusion between the congressman’s company and the DPWH.”
The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the case in 2023.
Vindicated
Feeling vindicated by the turn of events in the exposè of flood control anomalies and the attendant public outcry last August-September, Napao resolved to refile with the Office of the Ombudsman the case for violations of Section 3 (e and h) of RA 3019 (the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), and the “Possession of Prohibited Interest by a Public Officer” from Article 216 of the Revised Penal Code against former Gonzales Jr. and members of his family who comprise the A.D. Gonzales Jr. Construction & Trading Co. Inc.
Napao said the complaint is unchanged from the one he filed earlier, asserting that the facts have not lost weight despite its dismissal.
“These projects are glaring examples of conflict of interest in public service, manipulated to favor the family-owned business of then-Congressman Gonzales, a known super-rich contractor in Pampanga,” he alleged.
Rehashed
“I recall that a case against me involving the same projects filed before the same Ombudsman was dismissed sometime in 2023 for lack of merit. It appears to be a rehashed and recycled subject, if any.”
So was quoted Gonzales by the media on Nov. 20 citing a statement he reportedly sent to House of Representatives reporters.
“While I welcome any inquiry on the matter, I am not aware of an ongoing Ombudsman formal investigation against me on prohibited interests,” added Gonzales.
Aside from Gonzales, Remulla said investigations are underway for nine other politicians moonlighting as government contractors.
“Isa-isa yan. Kailangan hihimayin mo kasi maraming magaling magtago e. Marami namang hindi na nagtago, talagang ginawa na lang. Yung (gumawa) na lang muna ang unahin natin, tinatawag ngang low-hanging fruit,” he said.
