President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered lifestyle checks on all government officials as investigations intensify into anomalous flood control projects, Malacañang announced Wednesday, August 27.
“Ipinag-utos ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang pagkakaroon ng lifestyle check sa lahat ng mga opisyal sa gitna ng imbestigasyon patungkol sa maanomalyang flood control projects,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
According to Castro, the probe will start with officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Unang una po hindi natin makakaila na may mga DPWH officials na sinasabing involved at malamang ay magsimula sila doon,” she said in a Palace briefing.
The President also ordered a full audit of DPWH records tied to the questioned projects.
“Magdedemanda po talaga, sasampahan ng kaso ang dapat masampahan ng kaso. Walang sisinuhin, walang malapit sa puso, walang kaalyado – kung sinuman ang involved dito, sasampahan ng kaso,” Castro stressed.
Malacañang added that Marcos has given the green light for national agencies and local government units to launch their own parallel investigations.
The move has drawn support from several Cabinet members. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said her department welcomes the lifestyle checks.
“Tama naman yun—we welcome the lifestyle check. We will cooperate,” Pangandaman told reporters during the launch of the DIME project for monitoring flood control projects.
Transport Secretary Vince Dizon also backed the President’s order, calling it “the right thing to do.”
Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda said the process would be easier today because of social media exposure.
“Alam mo ngayon, sa social media, wala ka nang puwedeng itago. So lahat naman ‘yan, puwedeng makita sa social media,” he remarked.
Marcos’ order came a week after he expressed fury over a multi-million peso river wall project in Baliuag, Bulacan that was marked as “completed” despite never being built.