(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a lifestyle check on all government officials as part of the administration’s investigation into anomalous flood control projects, Malacañang said Wednesday.
In a press conference, Palace Press Office Claire Castro said the lifestyle check would cover the entire executive department, starting with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who have been linked to questionable flood control projects.
“President Marcos has ordered lifestyle checks on all officials amid the investigation into anomalous flood control projects,” Castro said. “All those involved in anomalous flood control projects will be covered.”
The Palace official said the President also ordered a thorough review of DPWH records of the projects in question.
“We cannot deny that there are DPWH officials allegedly involved, and most likely the checks will start there,” she said.
Asked about who would lead the checks, Castro said several agencies have authority, including the Office of the Ombudsman, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the agencies themselves.
Castro also assured the public that the investigations would be independent even though corruption has been described as “deeply entrenched” in the bureaucracy.
“The government’s investigation is ongoing to identify those behind projects that should have helped solve widespread flooding in the country,” Castro said.
“The president has spoken, so each agency must fulfill its duty,” she added.
Castro, however, said that Marcos was not naming anyone at this stage, as he did not want to unfairly implicate the innocent.
Close monitoring
“If that is a priority project and aligned with the NEP (National Expenditure Program), accountability is stricter. The president will monitor it more closely,” Castro said.
“But whether it’s in the NEP or part of insertions or projects by other politicians, that does not mean it won’t be investigated. All of these will be investigated fairly,” she added.
Castro said Marcos’ order should serve as a signal to agencies like the Commission on Audit, the Bureau of Customs and local governments to do their part in probing anomalies.
She particularly mentioned red flags such as sudden ownership of luxury cars, questionable business permits and possible tax evasion.
“We are seeing many acquiring luxury cars, and the Bureau of Customs should check if these were properly taxed,” Castro said.
She added that contractors handling large projects should also be examined by local governments and the BIR to see if their reported earnings match their permits and tax payments.
Castro said that Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan continued to enjoy the trust and confidence of the President despite the recent discovery of ghost flood control projects in some parts of the country.
“If there will be any action regarding Secretary Bonoan, let us just wait. But as of the moment, the trust is still there,” Castro said.
She also deferred answering questions about former public works secretary Rogelio Singson’s recent claim that he had received feelers from Malacañang about a possible return to the DPWH as Bonoan’s replacement.
Playground for syndicates
Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the DPWH has become a “playground” for criminal syndicates as some of its engineering offices were tied to mafia-like activities.
He received information on the alleged involvement of some DPWH officials in anomalous flood control projects, including projects that were not in the report submitted to President Marcos.
“There are so many irregularities involving the district engineering offices,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
“The district engineer points to contractors and borrows their licenses, which he will use to implement the project,” he said.
Lacson said that these syndicate-like activities are not only in Bulacan, but also in other areas like San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.
He also received reports that there are irregularities in the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board. “The DPWH has become a playground for syndicates,” he said.
Open to dialogue
Castro said the government is willing to engage in discussions to address issues concerning the country’s flood control projects.
She confirmed that Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong had already submitted to Marcos the documents detailing the alleged corruption in the implementation of flood control projects.
“The president is open to dialogue with anyone if it concerns the alleged anomalies in flood control projects,” she said.
Marcos has personally inspected 11 flood control projects in Marikina, Iloilo, Bulacan and Benguet just days after receiving citizen complaints through the government’s “Sumbong Sa Pangulo” portal.
As of Wednesday, the Office of the President has received 9,020 complaints regarding anomalous flood control projects lodged through the sumbongsapangulo.ph website.
