ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tarlac lawmaker, vice mayor, DPWH engineer charged with graft, plunder on P597-M infrastructure projects

Tarlac lawmaker, vice mayor, DPWH engineer charged with graft, plunder on P597-M infrastructure projects

Published Oct 22, 2025 02:30 pm
Criminal charges were filed on Wednesday, Oct. 22, against Tarlac 3rd District Rep. Noel N. Rivera and his wife, Concepcion town Vice Mayor Evelyn A. Rivera, for the alleged questionable P597 million infrastructure projects awarded to their company from 2018 to 2024.
In the complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB), the spouses Rivera were charged with violations of Republic Act No. 7080, the plunder law, and RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Also charged was Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineer Neil Farala.
The Riveras and Farala could not be contacted for comment as of posting time.
The charges were filed by Pyra Nucum Lucas, founder of the United Pilipino Against Crime and Corruption (UPACC), and Jan Job Elumbaring.
The respondents were also charged administratively with Abuse of Authority, Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, Grave Misconduct, Serious Dishonesty.
The complainants told the OMB that Noel Rivera was barangay chairman in Barangay San Vicente, Concepcion in Tarlac from 2010 to 2013 and from 2018 to 2022, and served as president of the League of Barangays of the Philippines. Thereafter, Noel Rivera was elected member of the House of Representatives.
They said that Noel’s wife, Evelyn, is also a politician as she is currently the vice mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac as well as president of the Vice Mayor's League of the Philippines.
They also said that Noel Rivera is the chief executive officer, general manager and president of Tarlac 3G Construction and Development Corporation, while his wife is an incorporator of the company.
The complainants alleged that the couple amassed unexplained wealth because of several transactions entered into by their company with the DPWH.
They claimed that Tarlac 3G bagged a project on Dec. 14, 2018 from the DPWH for Rehabilitation of Damaged Flood Control along Lucung River, in Barangay Sta. Maria in Conception for P12,193,577.43.
On May 23, 2019, they alleged that the firm was awarded a project for the construction of the San Vicente Road in Concepcion for P3,156,990.34. That same day, they also alleged that the firm was awarded the contract for the Rehabilitation of Multi-Purpose Building (Covered Court) at Barangay Tinang, Concepcion for P1,879,795.99.
Then on June 13, 2019, the firm got the contract for the Construction/Improvement of Access Roads Leading to Declared Tourism Destinations for P91,670,257.93.
The complainants said that the Riveras have another company, Big Bertha Construction and Development Corp.
They alleged that on July 26, 2019 and thereafter, the Riveras bagged the Construction of Classrooms at Balutu Elementary School for P10,528,728.45; construction of two-storey, six-classrooms at Pisapungan ES, San Jose, Tarlac for P17,628,909.34; and construction of two-storey, six classrooms E.V.A. Abelling PS San Jose, Tarlac for P16,940,205.50.
Also, the complainants alleged that the Riveras got the contract for the concreting of Barangay San Vicente Farm to Market Road in Barangay San Vicente in Conception for P11,403,583.53, and the contract for the rehabilitation of the existing dike along Bulalo River in La Paz, Tarlac for P48,007,890.99.
Later, on March 27, 2023 the complainants said that the joint venture of High Strength Dev't Corp/Tarlac 3G won the bidding for the Sustainable Infrastructure Projects Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) for P95,052,299.10, and on Feb. 20, 2024 the contract for the construction of the Manila North Road to SCTEX Luisita for P141,493,337.32.
Thereafter, it was alleged that the joint venture secured the contract for the Repair and Rehabilitation of Water Line System of Philippine State College of Aeronautics Villamor Campus for P5,888,888.88, and the contract for the construction of the Tarlac City Southwest Diversion Road for P141,203,756.34.
In sum, the complainants told the OMB that the Rivera spouses got a total of P597,048,221.14 worth of infrastructure contacts.
They alleged that in all the transactions, Noel Rivera was the one who made the transactions with the DPWH and he was the signatory for Tarlac 3G.
"Na ang mga naturang transaksiyon, bagamat ipinagbabawal ng batas ay nangyari at napadali dahil sa conspiracy o sabwatan ng 1st and 2nd Engineering Office ng Tarlac sa pamamagitan ni Engineer Neil Farala at ni Noel N. Rivera, (That the said transactions, although prohibited by law, were consummated and facilitated due to the conspiracy or collusion of the 1st and 2nd Engineering Office of Tarlac through Engr. Neil Farala and Noel N. Rivera)," the complainants alleged.
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.