Agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Sunday arrested a senior engineer from the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in connection with an alleged P289-million peso ghost flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The arrested official, Dennis Abagon, holds key positions in the DPWH MIMAROPA office, serving as the officer-in-charge chief of the Bidding and Awards Committee and a member of the Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division.

His arrest is the first in a probe that has cast a shadow over flood control scandals in the country.

Abagon was apprehended early Sunday at a residence in Quezon City, the NBI confirmed.

The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court had issued warrants for him and 17 others, including former Ako Bicol party-list lawmaker Zaldy Co and executives from the contractor, Sunwest Corporation.

The charges against Abagon (malversation of public funds through falsification and two counts of graft) stem from accusations that he and other officials approved and certified a non-existent road dike project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan.

The project, which was funded under the DPWH’s 2024 national budget, was awarded to Sunwest Corporation. Investigators allege the multi-million peso infrastructure, meant to protect Mindoreños from flooding, was either substandard or completely fictitious.

“This comes after we served arrest warrants at their known addresses and continued our pursuit of them. Early this morning, we apprehended one engineer who is involved,” NBI Officer-in-Charge Attorney Lito Magno told reporters.

The scandal first erupted last September 2025 when DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, during an inspection tour of flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro, expressed fury upon being unable to locate the supposed road dike in Naujan.

“Fantasies. I don’t see any projects here. Maybe somebody here has a third eye who will be able to sense the flood control projects,” Dizon remarked at the time, slamming the stark absence of a project that had already been paid for with public funds.

Abagon, upon his arrest, maintained his innocence. “I did nothing wrong. I only did my job. I did not gain anything,” he was quoted as saying.

The NBI said that Abagon is now in their custody for processing and is expected to be arraigned before the Sandiganbayan in the coming days.

The bureau has vowed to intensify its manhunt for the remaining accused, including former congressman Co.