'Powerful' contractor could be behind alleged bribe try on Batangas solon –Lacson

A “powerful” contractor must be behind the alleged attempt by a Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer to bribe Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste to dissuade him from launching an investigation into alleged irregularities in DPWH projects in his district.

The senator was speaking in connection with the alleged bribery attempt worth over P3 million by DPWH district engineer Abelardo Calalo, who was arrested in an entrapment operation.

“There must be a powerful contractor behind this, and we have to find out," Lacson said.

Lacson said that while district engineers peddle projects to favored contractors, it is the funder or the sponsor of the inserted allocation in the national budget who manipulates the procurement.

Graft raps

Calalo has been taken into custody by the Taal Municipal Police Station and is facing charges for corruption of public officials under the Revised Penal Code, as well as violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act at the Batangas Provincial Prosecutors' Office.

Lacson said that it could be that the district engineer acted like a “bagman” or “legman” for the contractor. 

"Somebody more powerful must be behind this whole scheme,” Lacson said. 

On Sunday, the senator lauded Leviste for not falling into the bribe. 

“My snappy salute to neophyte Cong. Leandro Leviste, Batangas 1st District, 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 infra projects in his district. May his tribe increase,” Lacson said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Cleansing

Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan earlier hinted of ‘cleansing’ within the agency to get rid of erring officials and personnel amid the ongoing scrutiny on the anomalous flood control projects in the country. 

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. has said 20% of the total P545 billion budget of flood control projects was awarded to only 15 contractors.

The president vowed in his recent State of the Nation Address that those involved in anomalous flood control projects would be held accountable.

Zero budget?

Lacson said on Monday that a zero budget allocation for flood control projects next year must be studied carefully amid the alleged anomalies in such projects. 

“There’s soundness in his suggestion pero what if kung nagkaroon tayo ng katakot-takot na bagyo sa 2026?" Lacson said.

(There's soundness in his suggestion, but what if we have a terrible typhoon in 2026?)

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has warned the DPWH that no budget would be allocated for flood control projects in 2026 if the agency failed to fix its system to address the perennial flooding problem in the country. 

Ghost, substandard flood control projects 

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee vice chairperson Erwin Tulfo said that the Department of Justice must file charges against contractors, DPWH officials, and some politicians involved in alleged ghost and substandard flood control projects. 

“They stole trillions of pesos from the Filipino people, so they must be held accountable,” Tulfo said in a statement. 

“The revelations made by President Bongbong Marcos and Senator Panfilo Lacson regarding ghost and substandard projects are already enough grounds to file charges and jail those involved," he added.

“At the end of the day, the blame lies with certain politicians. Because of the excessive kickbacks they demanded—ranging from 20 to 25 percent—contractors were forced to deliver substandard work or worse, no project at all,” Tulfo said. –NB, GMA Integrated News