Surigao del Norte 1st District Representative Francisco “Lalo” Matugas and his son, former representative Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II, announced their full cooperation with the Office of the Ombudsman regarding an investigation into a disputed road construction project in Del Carmen.
The state anti-graft watchdog recently recommended charges over alleged irregularities surrounding the Mahayhay-Tuburan Road project.
In a joint statement released Tuesday, September 15, the two political figures affirmed their commitment to address the accusations through proper legal channels and submit all relevant documentation.
“We respect the Ombudsman and its mandate. Let the institution do its job, and let us answer the allegations through the proper process,” they said.
The Matugas family emphasized that assessing the project’s actual completion requires a thorough review of official records, including contracts, payment logs, certifications, and physical inspection reports.
“We believe the facts should be examined against the complete record. These are matters that can be properly addressed through the documents and evidence that will be submitted to the Ombudsman.”
“These are factual matters that should be examined against the actual documents—the nature of the transactions, their purpose, their timing, and their relationship, or lack of relationship, to the project,” they stated.
“Project records, certifications, contracts, payments, inspections and other relevant documents should be examined together so that the full circumstances can be properly understood.”
Maintaining confidence in the preliminary investigation process, the father-and-son duo stressed that the proceedings offer the appropriate venue to present their side alongside the physical evidence.
“An investigation is an important process precisely because it allows the allegations, the evidence and the respondents’ explanations to be examined together.”
“There is a proper process for determining the facts, and we intend to participate in that process fully, respectfully and with the necessary documents. Let the Ombudsman do its job. Let us answer the allegations. Let the documents speak,” they concluded.