Questions are now swirling over whether the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee—led by Deputy Majority Leader Rodante Marcoleta—can conduct a fair investigation into alleged irregularities in government flood control projects.
A study by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) revealed that at least three senators not only have ties to companies with government contracts but also hold official roles in firms linked to relatives, friends, or campaign donors who are government contractors.
The names that surfaced: Senate President Chiz Escudero, Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva, and Senator Bong Go.
All three have firmly denied involvement in flood control projects.
Escudero admitted receiving ₱30 million in campaign donations for his 2022 senatorial bid from Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., a firm ranked among the Top 15 contractors for flood control projects worth billions under the Marcos administration.
“For the record, wala akong kinalaman sa pag-identify, sa paggawa ng program of work(s), pag-bid, pag-award, pag-bahay, pagbayad, pag-inspection ng anumang proyekto sa pamahalaan,” Escudero stressed.
Villanueva, meanwhile, confirmed receiving ₱20 million in contributions during the 2022 elections from New San Jose Builders, Inc., but insisted he had no links to flood control projects. He further pointed out that he was one of the first to expose anomalous flood control projects three years ago.
Go, a former aide to ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, has been linked to CLTG Builders—owned by his father Desiderio Go—and Alfrego Builders and Supply Inc. He also denied direct involvement with these companies, even vowing to hold his own relatives accountable if wrongdoing is proven.
“If mayroon pong deficiencies at mayroon silang pagkukulang, ako mismo po ang magre-rekomenda sa komiteng ito na kasuhan sila kahit kamag-anak ko,” Go declared during the second Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.
The PCIJ report also flagged members of the House of Representatives who allegedly have ties to, or direct involvement in, companies bagging government flood control contracts.
Now, the burning question remains: is Congress truly serious about rooting out corruption in flood control projects—or is the investigation nothing more than a political circus?