‘Corruption in flood control projects is not only economic sabotage; it is a crime that costs lives.’
THE corruption now exposed in the Department of Public Works and Highways is not a routine scandal. It is theft that leaves communities defenseless against floods, siphoning billions into pockets while rivers rise and levees crumble.
The evidence of unfinished, substandard, and ghost projects must not end in hearings and headlines. It must end in convictions. Justice in these cases cannot be symbolic. The penalties must be heavy enough to deter every contractor and official tempted to repeat the crime.
Those found guilty should face the full force of the law: forfeiture of all ill-gotten assets in favor of the government, lifetime imprisonment for both private contractors and DPWH officials, perpetual disqualification from public office and steep fines for complicit politicians. Anything less would only perpetuate the culture of impunity that has long plagued public works.
But accountability will not happen automatically. The public must remain vigilant because history has shown how quickly cases can wither in courtrooms or be buried by backroom deals. Politicians and contractors will try to use influence, delay proceedings, or dilute penalties.
Citizens, civil society, and the press must keep watch to ensure that no one escapes culpability. Corruption in flood control projects is not only economic sabotage; it is a crime that costs lives.
That brazenness was laid bare this week when Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste revealed that a district engineer offered him P3.1 million in cash to halt his inspection of flood control projects. The payoff, he said, was only an “initial” installment, tied to contracts worth more than P100 million. Leviste, who has filed bribery and graft charges, warned that such schemes — rigged bidding, kickbacks disguised as “SOPs,” and payoffs that could run into billions — show that corruption in this country is carried out in the open, with no shame and little fear of consequence.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to pursue those responsible. The Bureau of Internal Revenue has pledged to audit the tax records of implicated contractors. The Commission on Audit and the Senate have launched their own inquiries.
These are welcome steps, but they must be carried through with urgency and certitude — especially as a recent exposé by Sen. Panfilo Lacson suggested that even some senators may be involved.
The test for this administration is whether investigations are followed by prosecutions — and whether prosecutions lead to punishment severe enough to break the cycle.
The Philippines cannot afford another round of scandals that end with plea bargains or suspended sentences. This is the moment. If this government is truly serious about curbing corruption, it must move with haste, ensuring justice is both swift and uncompromised.
The flood of corruption that has drained the nation’s coffers and left its people vulnerable must finally be stopped. Anything less will prove that promises of reform are empty and that impunity still rules in this country.
