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Asia

Three DPWH officials suspended over P94 million ghost FMR projects

Ombudsman suspends three officials over alleged fraudulent farm-to-market road projects in Davao Occidental.

New York Editorial News Desk October 30, 2026 1 min read

The Brief

  • Three DPWH officials suspended for alleged involvement in P94 million ghost FMR projects.
  • Charges include graft, corrupt practices, and falsification of public documents.
  • Private contractors named in allegations of fabricated project reports.

The Office of the Ombudsman has suspended three Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials for alleged involvement in fraudulent farm-to-market road (FMR) projects worth P94 million in Davao Occidental.

James Ryan Jabonero, Jonathan Relacion, and Zesrel Cuga were placed under suspension for no more than six months pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Other officials involved could not be suspended as they had already left public service. Five officials were dismissed in June 2026, and one retired in May 2025.

Charges of graft and corrupt practices, malversation, and falsification of public documents were first filed in May 2026 by Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel.

The DA discovered a pattern of fabricated Project Status Reports, Statements of Work Accomplished, and vouchers submitted by officials to secure state payments for nonexistent infrastructure across eight FMR projects.

Private contractors Allen Borbon of Adan Builders Co. and Marvin Lata Cumbe and Honorio Cumbe of HVC Sagittarius Commercial & Construction were also named in the complaints.

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