Senator Panfilo Lacson has dropped a bombshell: five former engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bulacan allegedly turned billions of pesos into casino chips in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Pampanga.
From 2023 to 2025, these engineers—now tagged as the “BGC Boys” (not Bonifacio Global City Boys, but the Bulacan Group of Contractors)—were reportedly fixtures in casino circles. According to Lacson, they became notorious for exchanging staggering amounts of money in what he suspects could be a massive money laundering scheme.
The engineers identified were:
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Henry Alcantara, former Bulacan district engineer
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Brice Ericson Hernandez, former assistant district engineer
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Jaypee Mendoza, construction division chief
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Arjay Domasig, DPWH engineer II
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Edrick San Diego, contractor
Billions in Cash-to-Chips Transactions
Lacson revealed shocking figures based on casino records, showing how these engineers funneled billions through gambling floors under fake names:
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Henry Alcantara (alias Joseph Castro Villegas)
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Cash to chips: ₱1.428 billion
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Chips to cash: ₱997 million
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Brice Hernandez (alias Marvin Santos De Guzman)
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Cash to chips: ₱659 million
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Chips to cash: ₱1.385 billion
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Jaypee Mendoza (alias Peejay Castro Asuncion)
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Cash to chips: ₱26.5 million
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Chips to cash: ₱280 million
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Lacson’s office has already submitted these names and aliases to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for investigation.
“Miraculous” Casino Wins
Between August 31, 2023, and April 4, 2024, the five men allegedly “won” suspiciously large amounts in a Pasay casino:
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Alcantara: ₱4.7 million
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Hernandez: ₱189 million
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Mendoza: ₱320 million
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Domasig: ₱7.3 million
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San Diego: ₱11.7 million
Lacson questioned whether it was even possible for them to be so lucky at the same time. “Sinuwete nga kayang sabay-sabay na nanalo ang mga ito? O baka naman money laundering scheme?” he asked.
He explained the trick: cash was converted into casino chips, then quickly exchanged back into cash. By declaring the transactions as winnings, the money appeared “clean.”
Ghost Flood Control Projects
The scandal does not stop at casinos. Lacson also exposed anomalous flood control projects tied to the same group.
One glaring case involved SYMS Construction, which was awarded a ₱92.58-million project along the Maycapiz-Taliptip River in Bulakan, Bulacan. What shocked Lacson was the “extraordinary speed” of the project’s approval and payment:
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December 17, 2024: Project awarded
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December 18: Notice to proceed issued
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December 20: Contractor demanded payment, claiming nearly 50% completion
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December 27: ₱35.97 million released
Within months, SYMS billed more, ballooning the project cost to ₱96.4 million—₱3.9 million over the original price.
Lacson sarcastically described SYMS’s speed as “Christmas magic.” He later revealed that documents for the payments were certified by none other than the BGC Boys themselves.
Upon investigation, he said the project was essentially a ghost project, with forged documents and fabricated progress reports.
Call for Accountability
The senator did not mince words. He called for criminal charges against those involved, including:
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Malversation through falsification of public documents
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Violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
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Anti-Plunder Law cases
He also urged administrative sanctions such as grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty against DPWH officials.
Push for Reforms
Beyond punishment, Lacson stressed prevention. He urged stricter reforms, including:
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A total ban on blacklisted contractors
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Heavier penalties for conflicts of interest
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Full transparency in the budgeting process
“Our goal is not only punitive, but also preventive,” Lacson declared.
The revelations paint a disturbing picture: billions lost to gambling floors, projects built on paper but not on the ground, and a system vulnerable to manipulation. For Lacson, this is not just about corruption—it’s about restoring the public’s trust in government service.
