CALOOCAN CITY — A former congresswoman has strongly denied allegations that she received kickbacks from allegedly anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan.

Brice Hernandez, a former district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), told a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that former Caloocan 2nd District Representative Mitch Cajayon-Uy allegedly received ₱16.5 million from so-called “ghost” projects in 2022–2023.

During the hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson displayed a photo showing piles of cash on a table and pressed Hernandez to identify the intended recipient.

“Sabihin mo para kanino yang nasa foreground,” Lacson said.

“Ang nakalagay po diyan is Mitch po. Kung hindi po namali pagkakatanda ko ang sabi po diyan ni boss para po kay Mitch Cajayon po yata yun. Di ko po siya kilala personally. Usec daw,” Hernandez responded.

“Kinatawan ng Caloocan, hindi Bulacan” – Cajayon-Uy responds to Hernandez’s allegations

Cajayon-Uy denounced the allegations in a statement issued on Friday.

“Mariin kong kinokondena ang walang basehang paninira sa aking pangalan sa naging pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, kung saan idinawit ako ni Brice Hernandez at sinabing umano’y nakatanggap ako ng ₱16.5 milyon mula sa mga flood control projects noong 2022–2023,” she said.

“Ako ay naging kinatawan ng Caloocan, hindi ng Bulacan,” she added.

She stressed that she had no dealings with Hernandez or Henry Alcantara.

“Wala akong anumang naging ugnayan kay Brice Hernandez, siya na rin mismo ang nagsabi ng ilang ulit na hindi kami magkakilala at maging kay Henry Alcantara. Ang mga paratang na ito ay pawang walang katotohanan,” she said.

The former lawmaker said her projects during her term were transparent and on public record. “Lahat ng proyektong ipinatupad mula noong ako’y muling naupo bilang Kinatawan ng Distrito Dos ng Caloocan noong 2022 hanggang 2025 ay nasa public record — bukas, malinaw, at maaaring suriin ng sinuman. Alam ng mga taga-Distrito Dos na hindi mga proyektong imprastraktura ang naging sentro ng ating panunungkulan,” she remarked.

The former solon also appealed to the public not to implicate those uninvolved. “Nauunawaan ko ang galit ng publiko sa mga ghost flood control projects, ngunit huwag sanang isangkot ang walang kinalaman, at huwag gamitin ang aking pangalan para sa kasinungalingan,” she said.

“Kung may ebidensya, ipakita; kung wala, huwag dungisan ang serbisyo publiko sa pamamagitan ng paninira at pagbabalatkayo. Malinis ang aking rekord at higit sa lahat, malinis ang aking konsensya. Ang aking naging paglilingkod ay tapat at nakatuon lamang para sa kapakanan ng aking mga kababayan sa Distrito Dos ng Caloocan,” she added.

Cajayon-Uy, who served as Caloocan’s 2nd District representative from June 2022 until June 2025, lost her re-election bid earlier this year.

Mitch Cajayon-Uy FB