MANILA – Former Bulacan 1st District Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez and Construction Division Chief Jaypee Mendoza have been accused by a female construction firm owner of instructing her not to disclose relevant details during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe into controversial flood control projects.

SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos specifically named Hernandez and Mendoza during the Committee’s hearing on September 18, 2025.

Responding to questions by Senator JV Ejercito, Santos said Hernandez called her on her cellphone sometime this September and told her, “Sally, huwag kang mag-alala. Lahat ng mga project na kinuha namin sa’yo, gagawin namin ‘yun. Ako bahala sa’yo, bibigyan kita ng abogado [at] ng pera, tutulungan kita.”

She further said, “Sabi pa po ni Brice, ‘Kung pwede sana, meron lang sana akong ipakikiusap sa iyo. Huwag ka muna magsalita. Di ba kinukuha namin sa iyo yung pera? Ituro mo si Henry na doon ko ibinibigay ang pera.’ After po nun, ibinibigay daw po kay DE Henry, kay Usec Bernardo, at kay Zaldy Co.”

Santos added that Mendoza, who was apparently with Hernandez at the time and who seemed to have grabbed the phone, also told her na ‘ginagawa naman daw po,’ in reference to the projects.

Senator Erwin Tulfo asked Santos to clarify, “Wag magsalita dito sa committee na ito?” Santos replied, “Yes po.”

Further questioned by Ejercito, Santos narrated that she was surprised and became worried when SYMS was mentioned in the news as being behind a flood control project in Bulacan that was inspected by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and found to be nonexistent or a “ghost project.”

The particular project, awarded by the DPWH to SYMS, was supposed to be a river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan, and was inspected by the president on August 20, 2025.

She reiterated her previous testimony that the license of SYMS, along with those of other contractors, had often been “forcibly borrowed” and used in supposed flood control projects. She said they were not informed about the locations, details, or status of these projects and were not involved in their implementation. Instead, they were paid by the engineers three percent of the total project cost, which was deposited into the company’s bank account.

“‘Yun po kasing lisensya ko po, sapilitan lang po nilang hiniram po sa akin. Katulad po doon sa Piel [Bulacan project]… tinawag na lang po nila na ‘yung Piel po ay ibi-bid. Tapos pinasa ko lang po ‘yung mga technical ko po,” she added.

She said she used the term “sapilitang hinihiram” (forcibly borrowed) because they could not decline, fearing they would no longer be awarded projects.

Santos said she immediately called Hernandez to ask why SYMS was implicated in the alleged ghost project discovered by the president. She further said she told Hernandez that the engineering office must complete the project immediately to clear her company’s name.

Ejercito asked Santos to elaborate on her earlier response to Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who had noted her apparent apprehension during the hearing.

Santos replied that heavily tinted vehicles had been circling their house. “Kasi po sa bahay ko po marami pong umiikot na mga sasakyan, hindi po namin malaman kung sino ang sakay, tinted po ‘yung window ng mga sasakyan… antagal po hindi po namin malaman kung sino ang sakay sobrang tinted po nung mga sasakyan,” she said.

Asked whether she felt that someone might be planning to harm her, she answered in the affirmative.

Pressed on who she believed might want to harm her, she said, “Ang pwede lang naman pong gumawa sa akin nito sina Engr. Brice at saka sina Engr. Jaypee.”

Hernandez immediately denied the allegation.

Santos previously testified that she delivered hundreds of millions of pesos to Hernandez’s office at the DPWH, as well as to his residence. She estimated that she may have delivered up to P1 billion from 2022 to the present.

The SYMS owner earlier requested Senate protection, which Committee Chair and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson granted.

At the end of the hearing, Ejercito recommended that Santos be placed under the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Lacson said the recommendation is still subject to the chamber’s evaluation.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, following the hearing, stated that admission to the WPP depends on the DOJ’s own assessment. He emphasized that Santos must first provide substantial information, which is why the panel recommended that the DOJ speak with her and evaluate what she could disclose.

Senate of the Philippines FB