Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Vice Chairman Senator Erwin Tulfo has urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file criminal charges against contractors, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, and politicians allegedly involved in ghost and substandard flood control projects that may have cost the government trillions of pesos.

“They stole trillions of pesos from the Filipino people, so they must be held accountable,” Tulfo said in an interview, pressing the DOJ to act swiftly in holding all responsible parties to account.

Tulfo’s call follows revelations from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Senator Panfilo Lacson, who both raised alarms over massive corruption in the DPWH’s flood control programs.

“If a shoplifter can be jailed for stealing something worth less than a hundred pesos, then those who plundered trillions in public funds must face even harsher consequences,” Tulfo added.

According to official DPWH reports, P1.2 trillion has been allocated for flood control projects from 2011 to 2025. Yet, results on the ground — from substandard construction to outright nonexistent projects — suggest rampant misuse of funds.

President Marcos earlier revealed that 15 contractors cornered 20% of all DPWH flood control contracts, or about P100 billion. Of these, five contractors were allegedly leasing out their licenses to other firms, violating procurement laws and contributing to poor or nonexistent infrastructure. These include Legacy Construction Corp., Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development, St. Timothy Construction, EGB Construction, and Road Edge Trading & Development Services.

Meanwhile, three companies — Wawao Builders, SYMS Construction, and Darcy and Anna Builders — were linked to ghost flood control projects in Bulacan, as exposed by Senator Lacson in a recent privilege speech.

The alleged anomalies include fully funded and “completed” projects that do not physically exist, he said.

Tulfo argued that such findings highlight the need for criminal liability, not just administrative penalties.

“At the end of the day, the blame lies with certain politicians. Because of the excessive kickbacks they demanded — ranging from 20 to 25 percent — contractors were forced to deliver substandard work or worse, no project at all,” Tulfo stressed.