By Juliane Judilla
The Amlig Antique Alliance, a coalition of religious organizations, environmental advocates, and civil society groups, files five separate complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman Regional VI in Iloilo City against current and former government officials and executives of major construction firms over alleged violations linked to multi-billion-peso infrastructure projects in Antique on Thursday, July 16.
According to the alliance, the complaints were filed by private citizens from Antique whose identities have been withheld for security reasons. The cases reportedly cover infrastructure projects implemented between 2019 and 2025 and allege violations of environmental laws, procurement regulations, anti-graft statutes, and land-related laws.
The respondents include current and former officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VI, the DPWH Antique District Engineering Office, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region VI.
Among those identified by the alliance are businessman Zaldy Co, businessman Alfonso Tan, and Congressman Jojo Ang Jr., along with executives of Sunwest Inc., International Builders Corporation (IBC), Allencon Development Corporation, A.M. Oreta & Co., and J.E. Tico Construction Co.
The complaints also reportedly name eight current and former DPWH Regional Directors, two current and former District Engineers in Antique, and five current and former DENR-EMB Regional Directors, among other officials.
Allegations of Environmental Damage
The alliance said the complaints stem from alleged environmental impacts of DPWH infrastructure projects, including flood control developments, which it claims caused extensive ecological degradation across several municipalities in Antique.
Among the allegations cited by Amlig are: (1) Destruction of documented marine turtle nesting habitats and fish sanctuaries in San Jose de Buenavista and Bugasong; (2) Severe soil erosion and siltation affecting rivers, creeks, and agricultural lands in Pandan, Laua-an, Valderrama, and San Remigio; and (3) Construction activities allegedly encroaching upon ancestral domains of the Iraynon-Bukidnon Indigenous communities.
The complainants are seeking administrative sanctions against officials they allege are responsible, including dismissal from government service where applicable.
Amlig also criticized several national government agencies for what it described as prolonged inaction.
It said a petition requesting a formal investigation into approximately ₱7 billion worth of infrastructure projects was submitted to the DPWH Secretary on May 8, 2026, but, according to the group, no decisive action has been taken.
The group likewise said it requested a special audit from the Commission on Audit (COA) on February 9, 2026, citing alleged environmental compliance issues, including the reported revocation of Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs), Certificates of Non-Coverage (CNCs), and the issuance of Cease and Desist Orders (CDOs) by DENR-EMB. The alliance said it has yet to receive an update from the commission.
Amlig also called on Senator Loren Legarda, Antique Governor Paolo Javier, and Congressman Antonio Legarda Jr. to publicly address the environmental concerns raised by affected communities.
The alliance argued that Senator Legarda played a significant role in supporting infrastructure funding during her previous leadership positions in the Senate and urged her to comment on the issues surrounding the projects.
It also questioned what it described as the continued silence of the province’s top elected officials amid the environmental controversy.
“Just the Beginning”
The alliance said the Ombudsman complaints come after years of advocacy efforts that included formal petitions, letters to government agencies, and public demonstrations in San Jose de Buenavista.
“The citizens of Antique have done everything right, yet our leaders have chosen to remain completely silent,” the alliance said in its statement.
It added that the filing of the complaints marks only the first phase of its legal campaign and warned that additional cases may be filed if government agencies and officials continue to fail to act on the group’s environmental concerns.
