Senate flood control probe to resume

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects will continue despite the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen. JV Ejercito said yesterday.

He noted that preparations are also underway at the Office of the Ombudsman for the filing of criminal charges against individuals allegedly involved in the flood control project scandal.

“According to the ombudsman, eight contractors will be the next to face charges,” Ejercito said.

“The real perpetrators must be identified and held accountable, particularly tAhe ‘congtractors’ and those who initiated the allocables,” he said, referring to the term used during the Senate’s investigation.

Ejercito rejected claims that the impeachment proceedings against Duterte are being used to divert attention from the flood control controversy.

“We cannot allow the Senate to stop working. While the impeachment trial is ongoing, we must also move forward with the national budget and other investigations. Accountability and good governance are equally important,” he said.

As chairman of the Senate finance committee, Ejercito also vowed to push for a transparent review of the proposed 2027 national budget.

“Every peso collected from taxpayers must go to programs that Filipinos truly need. Funds intended for flood control cannot be wasted or stolen while communities continue to suffer from flooding,” he said.

He added that tighter scrutiny of public spending is needed to restore public trust in government.

P2.38-billion insertion for Taguig

Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo Lacson corrected his “budget insertion” figure that funded alleged ghost projects in Taguig, saying Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano had actually inserted P2.385 billion in the 2025 national budget, not P2.085 billion as he earlier tweeted.

Lacson said he found three additional P100-million slope protection projects under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, raising to P2.385 billion the worth of slope protection and drainage projects in Cayetano’s alleged P6.79- billion budget insertion.

Two separate items are double appropriations for the same project, a red flag that one may be a ghost project, Lacson added.

Lacson had flagged at least two suspected ghost infrastructure projects and other anomalous public works projects in Taguig, including those linked to the detained contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya.

He vowed to help the Senate Blue Ribbon look into Taguig’s flood control projects after Cayetano attacked Lacson’s integrity in his usual Facebook Live.

Cayetano earlier said Taguig is flood-free and has no ghost projects, citing Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon as telling him the flood mitigation structures in his bailiwick are aboveboard.–  Marc Jayson Cayabyab