Ombudsman urged to probe flood control projects

MANILA, Philippines — Journalist Ben Tulfo, representing his media outfit BITAG Media Unlimited Inc., has filed a letter-request to the Office of the Ombudsman asking the anti-graft body to start its own investigation on the alleged ghost and substandard flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“I am writing this letter to earnestly request your good Office to motu proprio conduct an immediate, urgent and honest-to-goodness investigation on what is turning out to be the worst corruption scandal in this country,” Tulfo, chief executive officer of BITAG and the founder of its help desk arm ipaBITAGmo Inc., said.

Tulfo admitted that he had been vocal on social media in questioning the ombudsman’s silence and seeming inaction on the controversy despite President Marcos himself baring the irregularities in the DPWH flood control projects to the point of naming the top 15 contractors who have cornered majority of contracts worth around P100 billion from July 2022 to May 2025.

“This presidential action alone, we believe, is sufficient to warrant a motu proprio action by your good Office,” Tulfo said.

Tulfo pointed out that even DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan had already confirmed that pocketing of billions of funds in the flood control projects is still being carried out by unscrupulous contractors, in conspiracy with politicians who had received pork barrel allocations not found in the approved General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“It is in this light, Your Honor, that I am formalizing my urgent request to motu proprio initiate the investigation – possibly create fact-finding and investigative task forces,” Tulfo said.

He said the ombudsman may also request assistance from other concerned government agencies in its conduct of the massive investigation, especially in securing “all relevant public documents, such as bidding documents, contract papers, audit documents, corporate papers, bank and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents.”

Tulfo said the ombudsman must ensure that all concerned personalities will be issued subpoena “to explain their participation or non-participation in these anomalous projects and thereafter, file or initiate the appropriate administrative and criminal charges against those responsible.”

Tulfo said the ombudsman must no longer wait for the results of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigation on the flood control projects as the ombudsman has the power to conduct its own investigation with or without any formal complaint.

“We implore your good Office to carry out this constitutional and statutory mandate without delay, and without fear and favor. We will be more than willing to cooperate and assist your good office in whatever way,” Tulfo said.

Reporters covering the ombudsman have been asking for a statement on the calls for investigation on the DPWH flood control projects as well as on the directive of Marcos for a lifestyle check of all government officials starting with the DPWH, but the body refused to issue any statement.

“No interviews or statements for the meantime,” the ombudsman’s Public Information and Media Relations Bureau (PIMRB) replied to reporters on Thursday.

Asked yesterday for a comment on the letter of Tulfo, the PIMRB replied: “No response yet from Acting’s office.”

The PIMRB was apparently referring to recently appointed acting ombudsman Dante Vargas, who was tasked to head the body until the replacement of former ombudsman Samuel Martires is chosen by the President.