DOJ vows action on ghost flood control projects, eyes case filing within 40–60 days

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday vowed to pursue cases against those behind anomalous flood control projects, telling senators that complaints could be filed within 40 to 60 days.

At the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the matter, Senator Bam Aquino pressed Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla for updates on cases linked to what he described as “massive corruption” in the government’s flood control program.

Remulla said complaints earlier initiated by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon had gone directly to the Office of the Ombudsman, while the DOJ is now building at least five more cases that have been endorsed to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Ang ginagawa po namin ngayon (What we are doing right now), we have collated about five cases already to the NBI… And these are the ghost projects, yan ang aming inuna (that's what we have prioritized),” he said, referring to projects that received funding but were never constructed.

He added that the DOJ will also pursue cases involving severely substandard projects but stressed that investigators are now looking at a broader pattern of collusion. “It’s like a conspiracy between some people from DPWH, contractors and legislators and probably some other people,” he said.

Aquino reminded the DOJ that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had raised the issue of questionable flood control projects in his July 28 State of the Nation Address, noting that nearly two months have passed since then without concrete action.

“It’s already September, almost two months have passed. The people are demanding solutions to this issue. So can we get a commitment na isa po ito sa priority ng DOJ at binibigyan po ito ng tamang pansin at lahat ng dapat managot ay makukulong at makakasuhan?” Aquino asked.

(It’s already September, almost two months have passed. The people are demanding solutions to this issue. Can we get a commitment that this will be a DOJ priority and that everyone responsible will be jailed and charged?)

Remulla responded: “We make that commitment. Hindi po namin pababayaan ang kasong ito at we will pursue to the very end.”

(We make that commitment. We will not abandon this case and we will pursue it to the very end.)

Pressed for a timeline, the justice chief said due process requires at least 40 to 60 days to allow for the issuance of subpoenas and the submission of affidavits. “Forty days would be the fastest, and at 60 [days] would be safe,” he said.

Aquino, however, stressed that accountability should cover all those implicated, not just a select few. “Sana po sa mabilisang panahon talagang makita natin na may nakasuhan na lahat ng mga nasangkot dito, hindi lang po ilan,” he said.

(Hopefully, in the soonest possible time, we will see that everyone involved is charged, not just a few.)

The Senate investigation centers on billions of pesos in allegedly anomalous flood control projects across the country, flagged as either severely substandard or entirely nonexistent. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was created to also probe into the scandal, is expected to share its findings with both the DOJ and the Ombudsman for prosecution. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News