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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Mark Villar: Contractors faking geotagged photos should be held accountable

Mark Villar: Contractors faking geotagged photos should be held accountable

Published Aug 26, 2025 11:21 am

At A Glance

  • The former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary said submitting fake project documentation, including manipulated or fabricated geotagged photos, constitutes clear fraud and should carry heavy legal consequences.


Senator Mark Villar on Tuesday, August 26 has called on relevant government agencies to hold accountable those contractors who may have submitted falsified geotagged photographs of government projects as part of their certification and justify payments.

Senator Mark Villar
Senator Mark Villar

Villar, a former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary, pointed out such scheme is clear and outright fraud.

“Did these faulty contractors submit faked geotagged photos? If so, that is outright fraud,” Villar said.

“No contractor should have been able to collect from the government on the basis of deception,” the senator further said.

According to Villar, he mandated the use of geotagging as a transparency and accountability measure when he was DPWH chief.

He said this requirement applied not only upon completion but even during the progress of projects, ensuring that photos were time-stamped and location-based to prevent tampering or falsification.

“The whole purpose of mandatory geotagging was to make sure the government and the public could verify that work was actually being done where and when it was supposed to be,” the lawmaker said.

“If contractors have found ways to cheat the system, that is an abuse of public trust and it must be investigated thoroughly,” Villar added.

He said submitting fake project documentation, including manipulated or fabricated geotagged photos, constitutes clear fraud and should carry heavy legal consequences.

Related Tags

Mark Villar DPWH flood control projects
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