Lacson urges PCAB to police own ranks amid 'accreditation' scheme

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Friday called on the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to not just merely deny the alleged "accreditation for sale" scheme in government projects, but to act on it by policing their own ranks. 

Lacson, who previously delivered a privilege speech on the alleged corrupt practices in flood control projects, stressed that PCAB has to explain how some private contractors supposedly got their accreditation after paying up.

"Instead of merely denying reports of misconduct involving what they claim to be scammers misrepresenting them, PCAB leadership should look at their own people and police their ranks. For how can they explain why certain contractors who, after coughing up at least P2 million were actually issued accreditation by PCAB?" Lacson said in a statement. 

"As they say, the test of the pudding is in the eating," he added.

Lacson on Wednesday alleged that PCAB has been seeking payments for the accreditation of private contractors of government projects for as low as P2 million.

PCAB, in return, refuted the allegation, saying that it "has not authorized any individual, group, or third-party consultant to act on its behalf or to guarantee contractor accreditation in exchange for money."

The board also said it is proactively addressing issues on alleged "shortcuts" for licenses being offered for certain fees.

PCAB is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and is one of the implementing boards in the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP). 

Third-party agency

Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, meanwhile, said there should be a third-party agency to investigate the questionable flood control projects in the country. 

"Katulad niyan, may investigation sa Senado, may investigation sa House of Representatives tungkol dito sa corruption scandal na nangyari sa DPWH, parang hindi tama na itong mga ahensya o itong Kongreso at Senado ang lead agency to investigate this," Zubiri said in a Zoom interview, referring to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

(The Senate and the House of Representatives are conducting their own investigation regarding the alleged corruption scandal in the DPWH. I don't think Congress should lead such investigations.)

The third-party agency, he said, should be led by government investigators and civil society organizations.

"I think these are things that we have to take into consideration kasi paano kung may kasamahan ka doon na matatamaan 'di ba (I think these are things that we have to take into consideration because what if you have colleagues who will be affected by the investigation)?" Zubiri added.

For his part, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan also expressed support for the creation of an independent commission to investigate questionable flood control projects in the country. 

He said the commission must be led by the likes of former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

"Dapat sila ay mahiya. Dapat sila ay parusahan kung sino pa 'yung nagkasala eh sila pa ang galit," Pangilinan said. 

(They should be ashamed and be held accountable. It seems that even if they committed something wrong, they still have the gall to get angry.)

"Dapat habulin itong mga nangungurakot ng mga ghost projects. At suportado natin si Pangulong BBM dito na binubusisi niya nang husto."

(We should go after these corrupt officials behind the ghost projects. And we support President BBM on this as he has been closely looking into the matter.) 

Reallocation of funds

Meanwhile, Senator Bam Aquino said public funds, particularly the P243-billion flood control budget for 2026, should be allocated to important programs such as those for education and healthcare. 

"The P243 billion in the 2026 budget for flood control, I'm guessing mababawasan [it will be reduced]. That will be slashed significantly. I'm hoping some of that will go to education and maybe some of that will go to healthcare," he said.

Aquino, chairperson of the Senate committee on basic education, emphasized that free education and healthcare must be prioritized for the Filipino people's welfare.

"If we're able to cut where we're supposed to cut and allocate where we're supposed to allocate, mas maaabot natin iyan (we could reach that). Hindi siya as impossible as it may seem (It's not as impossible as it may seem)," he added. — VDV, GMA Integrated News