Bulacan 'ghost project' proposed by DPWH, says InfraComm co-chair

The alleged ghost flood control project in Bulacan that caught the ire of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was an allocation that the Department of Public Works and Highways proposed, and not a congressional insertion from among lawmakers, a co-chair of the House Infrastructure Committee said.

According to Tina Panganiban-Perez's report on "24 Oras," this is based on Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon's analysis of the National Expenditure Program, the proposed allocations the executive branch submitted to the legislative, and the General Appropriations Act, the budget law that Congress passed.

"Marami po sa mga napuntahan po ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas, partikular po sa Bulacan, kahit po yung nasa Baguio, ay mga National Expenditure Program-originated projects. Hindi po ito congressional initiative-originated projects," Ridon said.

"So kasama po rito yung ghost project na supposedly ginawa po ng first engineering district ng Bulacan through SYMS Construction Trading," he added.

(Many of the flood control projects visited by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, particularly in Bulacan, and even in Baguio, are NEP projects; Not congressional initiative-originated projects.)

Ridon said this also includes the substandard projects in Bulacan that Marcos also flagged.

"'Yun pong sinasabi po ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas na substandard project na in-implement din po sa Bulacan, same District Engineering Office, implemented po ng St. Timothy Construction, ito po ay nasa NEP din po ng, I think 2023 or 2022," Ridon said.

(The substandard project in Bulacan that the President flagged has the same District Engineering Office and was implemented by St. Timothy Construction. It is also found in NEP. I think in 2023 or 2022.)

Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said he would check Ridon's claims that some ghost projects were "National Expenditure Program-originated," and proposed by the DPWH.

"We will try to find out if this is correct. Maybe if it is NEP or initiated, we will try to find out. Pero for as long as it is a ghost project, then we'll have to file the necessary charges against those who are included into this program," Bonoan said.

"In fact, today I think I have issued the preventive suspension of the district offices involved in ghost projects," he added.

“For as long as it is a ghost project, then we'll have to file the necessary charges against those who are included in this program. In fact, today I think I have issued the preventive suspension of the district offices involved in ghost projects,” Bonoan said.

The House InfraComm will start its investigation on flood control projects and other infrastructure on Sept. 2.

Among those who will be summoned are the top 15 contractors mentioned by the President, as well as officials from the DPWH, Commission on Audit (COA), and Bureau of Internal Revenues.

“There should be criminal charges for ghost projects. If it's a P55 million project na pinera, di ba plunder na yun?” Ridon said.

(If it's a P55 million project that was pocketed, isn't that already considered plunder?)

When asked if the DPWH secretary will be held accountable, Ridon said, “We will see kung ano ho yung level ng kanya pong responsibility (we will see the level of his responsibility.”

“Pero, again, kung ina-admit niya, halimbawa, na meron po (if he admitted, for example, that there is) failure to check at the level of the Central Office or at the level of the Regional Director, there is ultimate responsibility on the secretary of the Department of Public Works,” he added.

Bonoan denied any involvement in the alleged corrupt practices.

“Absolutely on my part. No, no, no, no. I don't even have to tolerate this. I don't tolerate this kind of attitude," Bonoan said when asked if he could confidently say he did not benefit from any infrastructure project.

"That's why I'm filing all the charges against anybody who are involved up to this ghost projects that had been discovered by the President,” he added.

Meanwhile, COA, for its part, will conduct a technical inspection of all flood control projects from January 1, 2022 to July 31, 2025 whether it’s ongoing or already completed. –Mariel Celine Serquiña/NB, GMA Integrated News