By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Erwin Tulfo on Monday pressed for accountability over alleged corruption in flood control projects, calling on authorities to prosecute contractors, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, and politicians implicated in ghost and substandard infrastructure works.
Lacson said the refusal of Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste to accept a bribe from a DPWH district engineer should serve as a model for public servants in resisting corruption.
He commended the neophyte lawmaker for cooperating with police in an entrapment that led to the arrest of DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo, who allegedly attempted to hand over P3.6 million to dissuade Leviste from investigating irregular flood control projects.
Lacson said in a social media post, “My snappy salute to neophyte Cong. Leandro Leviste for the successful police entrapment operation against a corrupt DPWH District Engineer who tried to bribe him with up to P360 million in ‘kickbacks’ from [infrastructure] projects in his district. May his tribe increase.”
He added, warning that unless erring officials are prosecuted and jailed, corruption in infrastructure programs would continue, “For the past 15 years, this corruption worsened because those involved saw how easy it was to get away. As I said, it was a piece of cake for them, so they went all-out on corruption,” Lacson added.
Tulfo, vice chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, meanwhile, urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file charges against those involved, citing revelations by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Lacson as enough grounds to proceed.
He said, “They stole trillions of pesos from the Filipino people, so they must be held accountable. If a shoplifter can be jailed for stealing something worth less than a hundred pesos, then those who plundered trillions in public funds must face even harsher consequences.”
DPWH records show that about P1.2 trillion has been spent on flood control projects since 2011. Marcos earlier revealed that only 15 contractors cornered 20 percent of these projects, amounting to roughly P100 billion.
Five firms—Legacy Construction Corp., Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development, St. Timothy Construction, EGB Construction, and Road Edge Trading and Development Services—were reported to be leasing out their licenses.
Three other contractors—Wawao Builders, SYMS Construction, and Darcy and Anna Builders– were tagged in ghost projects in Bulacan.
Tulfo said excessive kickbacks ranging from 20-25%, demanded by certain politicians, forced contractors to either deliver substandard work or abandon projects. (PNA)
