Marcos to agencies: Ensure evidence in flood control mess sufficient

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. wants concerned agencies to ensure that the pieces of evidence against individuals involved in the anomalous flood control projects are sufficient, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Wednesday.

''Ngunit may tagubilin ang Pangulo – tiyakin na sapat ang ebidensiya upang hindi makawala ang mga tunay na taksil sa interes ng taumbayan,'' Castro said during the Palace press briefing.

(The President's directive was to ensure that there's enough evidence so that those involved will not get away with this.) 

Castro said the President also expressed dismay over the revelation of former Bulacan 1st assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez that all projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways in their area were substandard. 

''Unang-una po, nakakalungkot na malaman iyan. Hindi lamang po ang Pangulo ang malulungkot, lahat po tayong taumbayan ay malulungkot po sa nakita at nasabing ganiyan na kumbaga itong mga proyektong ‘to ay para sa kalahatan, para sa ikagiginhawa ng mga kababayan natin pero ang mga gumiginhawa ay iyong mga tao lamang na siyang nagpapayaman,'' she said. 

(First of all, it's disappointing to know this. Not only the President will get disappointed, but everyone of us since these projects are supposed to benefit the public, however, those who benefit are the individuals who wants to get richer.) 

During the continuing hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, Hernandez said that all the infrastructure projects of their office since 2019 did not meet the required standards because they have “obligations” to the proponents.

He said these projects include flood control structures, buildings, roads, and even classrooms. 

He said that all of their substandard projects started when former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara came in 2019 until the present. 

The Department of Public Works and Highways already requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze nearly half a billion pesos worth of luxury vehicles of personalities involved in alleged anomalous flood control projects.

—AOL, GMA Integrated News