VICE President Sara Duterte laughed off President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ongoing investigation into graft-ridden flood control projects, saying it is meant to make it appear that the government is doing something so it will not be blamed once massive flooding happens anew.
During an interview with reporters in Paris last Monday, Duterte said the Executive’s investigation is only a stunt meant to placate the public.
“Paniwala ko ginagawa nila ‘yan para sabihin sa susunod na baha na, `Tingnan ninyo may ginawa kami.’ Pinaghahandaan niya lang yung excuse niya para sa susunod na baha (I think they’re doing that so that when the next flood comes, they can say, ‘Look, we’re doing something.’ He is just preparing an excuse ready for the next flood),” she said.
The Vice President said she has long been saying that Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Zaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol), former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, were the two officials in control of the national budget.
“‘Yung mga kasamahan nila o mga kagrupo nila, kasama din nila ‘yon sa paghati-hati noong budget ng Pilipinas (Their allies are with them in taking their shares in the budget of the Philippines),” Duterte said.
The Vice President said both lawmakers and public works contractors must be held accountable for the failed flood control projects, claiming that private contractors practically act as “subordinates” of members of Congress.
Marcos, in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, ordered the DPWH to review all completed, failed, unfinished, and even “ghost” flood control projects within the last three years, and submit to him a complete list.
The Chief Executive has vowed that someone would be held accountable for the recent massive flooding incidents in the country, particularly in Metro Manila which easily gets paralyzed during the rainy season.
The President has identified 15 contractors that he said secured nearly 20 percent of the P545.64 billion allocated for flood control from July 2022 to May 2025.
About 20 percent of all projects, valued at roughly P100 billion, went to these contractors — five of which had projects in nearly all regions.
These are Legacy Construction Corp., Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., St. Timothy Construction Corp., EGB Construction Corp., and Road Edge Trading & Development Services.
The other 10 firms with the most contracts are QM Builders, Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., Centerways Construction and Development Inc., Sunwest Inc., Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp., Triple 8 Construction & Supply Inc., Royal Crown Monarch Construction, Waowao Builders, MG Samidan Construction, and LR Tiqui Builders Inc.
