Palace: Progress Made in Flood Control Corruption Probe

Malacañang defended the Marcos administration's handling of the flood control scandal, stating that investigations have progressed and more actions have been taken compared to previous administrations, countering claims by civil society groups that no 'big fish' have been caught. Palace press officer Claire Castro made the statement during a press briefing, following a "White Ribbon March" on EDSA on Sunday where civil society groups demanded accountability for those who stole public funds. "Perhaps it would be better if they look at the updates on the investigations conducted by the administration. We hope they will see these and they should not claim that the government did nothing because in less than a year, a lot more has been done compared to previous administrations," Castro said. Castro noted that cases have been filed, two senators linked to questionable projects are undergoing trial, assets of some individuals allegedly tied to the scam have been frozen, and licenses of nine firms linked to the Discayas have been revoked. Among those recently arrested was Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who surrendered to authorities over a non-bailable P573-million plunder case involving alleged kickbacks from flood control projects. Estrada has denied the allegations. Former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan, Estrada's co-accused, was also placed under hospital arrest at the Philippine National Police General Hospital due to health concerns. Also charged were former DPWH-NCR assistant district engineer Denryl Caesar Sanchez Cortuna and DPWH-NCR district engineers Manny Bumagat Bulusan and Arturo Lombres Gonzales Jr. Data from the Government Procurement Policy Board showed that 112 firms have been blacklisted, including 12 involved in public works projects. Castro stated that Marcos wants to correct abuses that allowed irregularities to happen, adding that the Department of Budget and Management would ensure the proper release of funds. Meanwhile, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that his office is seeking to drop charges against Bonoan so he can serve as a state witness in flood control cases. Remulla explained that Bonoan's institutional knowledge is important to the case buildup against other officials, and his deteriorating health makes it urgent to preserve his testimony. The Ombudsman also said charges would soon be filed against a so-called "cong-tractor," a term used for lawmakers who allegedly act as government contractors. Remulla added that eight other House lawmakers are under preliminary investigation for possible conflict of interest and anomalies tied to flood control projects.