Leyte Governor and former Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla has called for justice and accountability for those involved in the alleged anomalies surrounding the government’s flood control projects.
During his speech at the 81st Leyte Gulf Landing commemoration on Monday, October 20, Petilla drew parallels between the heroism of Filipinos during World War II and the present-day battle against corruption in public service.
“Today, we have another war. We are faced with a new kind of war. The uncontrollable flood control fund scam, that is so much publicized now, and the extent of the scandal is staggering, appalling, and to some extent, embarrassing,” Petilla said.
He lamented that the recent revelations on the flood control fund scam have tainted the government’s integrity and eroded public trust.
The governor also clarified that Leyte has no allocated flood control fund, explaining the broader context of local governance and budget distribution.
“You know, people ask sometimes, ‘do you have [a] flood control fund?’ I said I do not. Why? Let me give you a little bit of perspective,” Petilla explained.
He went on to highlight the scale of governance across the country, with 81 provinces, nearly 1,500 cities and municipalities, and around 90,000 barangays, all facing their own challenges.
According to Petilla, out of the ₱6.3-trillion national budget for 2025, around ₱1 trillion is allotted to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)—an amount nearly equal to the combined budget for all local government units.
“The question that lingers to most people, ‘will we, the Filipino people, get justice? Are people going to be punished and sanctioned?’” he asked.
Reflecting on the heroism of Filipinos and their allies during World War II, Petilla urged that while wars should never happen again, the ongoing battle against corruption must also be fought with the same conviction.
“We will never get tired of commemorating this date, only to remind us that we should never have another great war. In the case of the flood control scam, it is also our fervent hope, and we pray to God, that the sanctions will be put in place, otherwise, it will happen again, and just like any war, it should never happen again,” he said.
Petilla added that letting the perpetrators go unpunished would dishonor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in the same land 81 years ago.
“If they go unpunished, our forefathers who fought and died 81 years ago in this land where we are standing right now, would probably rise from their graves. If only to tell us, ‘are you worth dying for?’” he said.
As part of his efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in Leyte’s infrastructure projects, Petilla shared that the province has adopted a “time-lapse system”, which requires project managers to submit daily visual progress reports for monitoring and review.
“We implement the ‘time lapse system’ to make sure that we review every project that we have down to the last inch. This will be submitted to us on a daily basis and our engineers will review them,” he explained.
He also revealed that the provincial government is planning to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into project monitoring to detect the use of substandard materials and prevent ghost projects.
In closing, Petilla urged Leyteños to remain steadfast in building a peaceful, progressive, and dignified nation, continuing the legacy of courage and integrity left by the country’s war heroes.