Wawao Builders President Invokes Right to Silence in Senate Probe

The Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Monday, September 1, placed the spotlight on Wawao Builders, a firm ranked among the top contractors for government flood control projects in Bulacan. The company’s president, Mark Allan Arevalo, appeared before senators following a subpoena but revealed little to no information about his company’s operations.

Arevalo, 37, appeared visibly nervous and uneasy throughout the proceedings. His demeanor drew the attention of lawmakers, particularly Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who noted that the witness avoided eye contact and kept his head lowered during questioning.

The most consistent response Arevalo offered was to invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination, though he initially struggled to phrase it correctly.

Invoking the Right to Silence

During the hearing, Estrada pressed Arevalo on his alleged involvement in so-called “ghost projects” in Bulacan. When first asked, Arevalo responded: “Your Honor, I invoke my right to self-incrimination.” Estrada asked him to repeat his answer, at which point Arevalo again misstated it, saying: “I invoke my right for self-incrimination.”

Senators then provided him with the correct wording. When Estrada repeated the question, Arevalo replied: “I invoke my right against self-incrimination.”

The exchange highlighted his reluctance to answer questions directly, as senators repeatedly urged him to face them and provide clearer statements.

Background on Wawao Builders

Wawao Builders has been under scrutiny since an earlier Senate probe on August 19 revealed that the company was linked to ghost flood control projects in Bulacan. Then-public works chief Manuel Bonoan confirmed the irregularities during that earlier session.

In a privilege speech on August 20, Senator Ping Lacson revealed that Wawao Builders had won government contracts worth ₱71.199 million each, which later turned out to be associated with ghost projects. According to Lacson, the identical contract amounts appeared intentional, possibly designed to trace back the projects’ benefactors or financiers.

From 2022 to 2025, Wawao Builders reportedly secured ₱9 billion worth of government contracts nationwide, with ₱5.9 billion allocated in Bulacan alone. Of that amount, ₱1.69 billion was earmarked specifically for flood control projects in the province’s first district. The company is also ranked 12th among the Top 15 flood control contractors, a list publicly released by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Questions About Ownership

According to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Wawao Builders is registered in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, listing Arevalo as one of its directors. However, doubts have emerged over whether he is the true owner of the company.

During a DZMM radio interview on Tuesday, September 2, Senator Lacson stated: “Hindi ‘yun ‘yung may-ari. Dummy lang ‘yun pero subject ito for further validation.” (He’s not the owner. He’s just a dummy, but this is subject to further validation.)

This suspicion mirrors concerns raised during the hearing, as Arevalo’s limited knowledge and nervous behavior raised doubts about his role as the actual head of a company handling billions of pesos in public projects.

Pattern of Silence in Senate Probes

Arevalo’s repeated use of the right against self-incrimination follows a pattern observed in other high-profile Senate inquiries. Figures such as Alice Guo and Janet Napoles—both accused of involvement in major controversies—similarly invoked the same right to avoid answering questions that could implicate them.

Lawmakers noted that while the right is constitutionally protected, its use often prevents the Senate from extracting substantive information during probes.

Unanswered Questions

The September 1 hearing left many observers puzzled. How could the president of a firm with multi-billion-peso contracts appear so uninformed about company operations? Senators expressed frustration at the lack of clarity, noting that the matter involves large sums of taxpayer money and projects intended for disaster mitigation in flood-prone areas.

The Senate probe is expected to continue as lawmakers seek to uncover the true ownership structure of Wawao Builders and determine accountability for the alleged ghost projects.