Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez, along with six others pleaded not guilty in their graft case before the Sandiganbayan fifth division on Wednesday.
They were accused of violating Section 3 of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, over their involvement in the alleged non-existent flood control project worth P77 million in Balagtas, Bulacan.
Aside from Hernandez, former DPWH officials Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig, Niño Lawrence Morales, Juanito Mendoza, Floralyn Simbulan and Cristina Mae Pineda also pleaded not guilty during their arraignment before the court.
Three others who were also accused in the case, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and his staffer, John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay, remain at large and were not present during the arraignment.
Last August, the Office of the Ombudsman filed a second malversation case against Co before the Sandiganbayan over an alleged nonexistent project in Balagtas, Bulacan. The case also included Hernandez and six other former DPWH officials.
According to the Ombudsman, the project was a riverbank protection structure along the Balagtas River in Purok 4, Barangay San Juan, which was awarded to SYMS Construction Trading with a revised contract amount of approximately P77.2 million.
Construction supposedly began on Feb. 24, 2025, and was declared completed on May 2 of the same year. However, it was discovered to be ‘nonexistent’ following inspection.
Co was earlier charged with one count of malversation and two counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan last November 2025. The case stemmed from an alleged substandard project worth P289.4-million in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, under Sunwest Inc., which is linked to Co.
The former lawmaker was believed to be seeking asylum in France amid his charges.