The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced it will accelerate the resolution of cases linked to the alleged flood control anomalies, following the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
During a press conference, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the President’s instructions were clear—to hold accountable those responsible for the irregularities involving ghost projects.
“Klaro ang direktiba ng ating Pangulo. Ang sabi ng Pangulo natin, kailangang bilisan na natin ang pananagot ng mga dapat managot,” Dizon said.
He added that various agencies, including the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Ombudsman, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), are now closely working with the DPWH to speed up the process.
Dizon revealed that the first batch of individuals involved in the alleged anomalies could soon face imprisonment.
“Base na rin sa usapan namin ng ICI, ng Ombudsman, I think hindi na magtatagal at ‘yong unang kaso na ni-file natin no’ng September 13 ay malapit nang i-file. Dahil doon, makikita n’yo na ‘yong unang mga tao na makukulong na,” he said.
He also noted that several suspects might spend Christmas behind bars due to the faster pace of case filings.
“Tingin ko marami-rami ang magpapasko sa kulungan in the next few weeks and few months dahil nga nagmadali tayong mag-file ng kaso,” Dizon added.
So far, four cases have been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, involving projects in Bulacan, Mindoro, La Union, and Davao Occidental.
These include:
- The Bulacan case, involving 26 individuals — 20 DPWH personnel and six contractors, including the Discaya group
- The Mindoro case, which involves former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co and Sunwest Corporation
- The La Union case, linked to Silverwolves Corporation and allegedly connected to Benguet Lone District Representative Eric Yap
- The Davao Occidental project, handled by St. Timothy Construction, which was fully paid in 2022 despite being bid out a year earlier.
Dizon stressed that the DPWH will continue to file cases swiftly, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable in court.
“Talagang binibilisan natin ito ayon sa utos ng Pangulo na dapat managot at dapat makulong na itong mga dapat managot,” he said.
He added that more individuals could be included in future cases as investigations into other ghost projects continue nationwide.