Senate inquiry on flood control project mess to continue later this month

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s inquiry on anomalies in the government’s flood control projects will continue later this month, Senator Erwin Tulfo said on Thursday.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report in “24 Oras,” Tulfo, the acting chair of the Senate panel, said the hearing may resume by late October.

“Siguro po sa October 22, 23. Somewhere around there… And nakita ko pong medyo maluwag-luwag, around 23, 24, mga 26, 27, ganoon po,” the senator said. 

(Maybe on October 22, 23. Somewhere around there… And I saw that the schedule is a bit free, around the 23rd, 24th, the 26th, 27th, something like that.) 

“… Kasi po ngayon, busy po ‘yung mga ibang kasamahan po natin sa mga budget hearing po, kanya-kanya.” 

(… Because right now, some of our colleagues are busy with their respective budget hearings.) 

Earlier this month, then Senate blue ribbon committee chair and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "PIng" Lacson said the panel's investigation will be suspended until further notice due to conflicts with the schedules of other Senate hearings and the preparation of documents.

On Monday, Lacson quit the Senate blue ribbon committee due to the dissatisfaction of other senators with the direction of the legislative inquiry on anomalies in flood control projects. Tulfo temporarily took over as acting chair of the panel.

Tulfo said he is looking forward to inviting former Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez and resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co to the hearing. 

Romualdez and Co are facing accusations of alleged involvement in kickbacks from infrastructure projects and in budget insertions. They have both denied the allegations, with Co quitting his post even if he has yet to return to the country.

“Si [dating] Speaker [Romualdez] po kasi, invitation lang po dahil mayroon po tayong inter-parliamentary courtesy po. So it’s just an invitation. Pero si Zaldy Co siguro pwede na pong imbitahan. ‘Pag hindi po sumagot, puwede rin po padalhan ng subpoena,” Tulfo said. 

(As for [former] Speaker [Romualdez], it will only be an invitation because we observe inter-parliamentary courtesy. So it’s just an invitation. But we can probably invite Zaldy Co. If he doesn’t respond, we can also send him a subpoena.) 

The acting Senate blue ribbon panel chair also assured that he will not let those tagged in the flood control controversy to escape accountability.

“Susundan din po namin yung mga nabanggit po ni Curlee at Mrs. Discaya po na nakausap nila, not personally, kundi yung mga tauhan po ng mga mambabatas na ‘yun,” Tulfo said.

(We will also follow up on the personalities mentioned by Curlee and Mrs. Discaya that they talked to — not personally — but the staff of those lawmakers.) 

After probing the controversial flood control projects, the panel is also considering a probe of alleged anomalies in the construction of farm-to-market roads.

This was after Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian said he would recommend that the Senate blue ribbon committee and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure also look into overpriced FMR projects in 2023 and 2024.

Gatchalian said there were FMR projects for those years that were overpriced by P10.3 billion.

“Sabi nga ng DPWH, parang 4,000 po yata or 8,000 na flood control projects throughout the country. So, napakadami po. Siguro ang gagawin po natin, pag nahagip ka, may flood control ka, kailangan i-certify po ng DPWH, ng COA na yung flood control mo talaga na-execute na hindi siya substandard at hindi siya ghost,” said Tulfo.

(The DPWH said there are 4,000 or 8,000 flood control projects throughout the country. So, there are so many. Perhaps what we will do is, if you are included—if you have a flood control project—the DPWH and COA should certify that your flood control project was actually executed, that it is not substandard, and that it is not a ghost project.) 

Tulfo stressed that the objective of the Senate’s investigation is to draft legislation to address and eradicate corruption in government projects. 

He added that he is just assuming leadership of the Senate blue ribbon committee while Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III is still looking for a permanent committee chairperson. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News