Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday pushed for a “complete overhaul” of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) following mounting allegations of corruption tied to government flood control projects.
“A complete overhaul of the PCAB board is in order at this point,” Lacson said in a statement.
He blasted PCAB as a “low-key yet corrupt-ridden regulatory body” that has long operated in tandem with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), allegedly bleeding taxpayers dry.
“The PCAB… has methodically punched us in the gut, providing the first of a one-two punch, thus knocking out our hard-earned tax payments,” he said.
Lacson issued the statement after PCAB Executive Director Herbert Matienzo resigned on Wednesday, a move later confirmed by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Maria Cristina Roque, who said Matienzo stepped down for “personal reasons.”
But Senator Erwin Tulfo stressed that resignation does not absolve Matienzo and PCAB of accountability.
“Bagama’t inaasahan na ito, dapat siguruhin na lahat ng mga dokumento na maaaring gamiting ebidensya tungkol sa mga hinihinalang anomalya sa flood control projects ay maitabi at maitago. Hindi rin porke’t nag-resign ay abswelto na! Tuloy ang imbestigasyon sa kanila kahit wala na sila sa puwesto,” Tulfo warned.
He also urged amendments to Republic Act 4566 or the Contractors’ License Law to eliminate potential conflicts of interest among PCAB board members.
Last week, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered a probe into alleged “accreditation-for-sale” schemes within PCAB.