Lacson laments ‘isolated case’ tag on ghost flood control projects: ‘Sayang’

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Monday expressed disappointment over Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan’s remarks that corruption in flood control projects, particularly in Bulacan, is merely an “isolated case.”

“Sayang,” Lacson said, describing his dismay with Bonoan’s response to mounting evidence of alleged ghost projects under the DPWH's watch.

"In my talks with some DPWH officials, both past and present, I didn’t hear any scathingly bad words about Sec Bonoan. But for him to claim that Bulacan is an isolated case, he doesn’t strike me as a good, effective leader of his department,” Lacson posted on social media platform X.

The senator also lamented Bonoan's denial of a reported ghost project in Sitio Dike, Barangay Apitong, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

In a recent television interview, Bonoan claimed the project may have simply been misunderstood due to a “miscommunication” regarding its location.

But Lacson countered that his claims were not anecdotal.

He said his findings were based on official DPWH documents and geographical coordinates posted on the government’s Sumbong sa Pangulo website.

Citing a specific entry from the DPWH’s own website, Lacson said the project in question, the Flood management program - construction/maintenance of flood mitigation structures and drainage systems – Construction of road dike along Mag-Asawang Tubig River, Sitio Dike, Brgy. Apitong Section, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, was marked as “completed” as of March 2025.

The contract, worth P192,996,270, was awarded to Elite General Contractor and Development Corp. under the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

“We culled the information from the DPWH, which indicated the supposed project was 'completed,'" Lacson noted, adding the contract was worth P192.99 million.

Lacson also noted that his staff learned from local barangay officials that there was no such project when they went there to verify.

“Eksakto ang lokasyon na aming pinuntahan sapagkat consistent din ito sa lokasyon na nakalathala sa DPWH, at sa exact coordinates sa ‘Sumbong sa Pangulo’ website. Guni-guni o guni-guni? (My staff went to the exact location indicated in the DPWH website and the coordinates in the Sumbong sa Pangulo website. So is it a ghost project or is it a ghost project)?” he said.

The former PNP chief also rejected the notion that the flood control anomalies were limited to Bulacan.

Last week, Lacson said similar cases of alleged corruption were uncovered in Pampanga, La Union, and Oriental Mindoro.

“When you say it is an isolated case, it sounds like a defense mechanism. It suggests you don’t intend to conduct a full-scale and comprehensive investigation. And I expected that, so I had my teams check projects in other areas,” Lacson said.