Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday sounded the alarm over what he described as mafia-style corruption within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), lamenting it has become a “playground for syndicates” deeply entrenched in anomalous infrastructure projects nationwide.

In a radio interview, Lacson revealed he continues to receive damning information linking several DPWH district engineering offices to fraudulent practices, particularly involving flood control projects. 

He cited cases where district engineers allegedly "borrow" contractors' licenses to execute projects themselves — a clear violation of procurement laws and ethical standards.

“There are so many irregularities involving the district engineering offices,” Lacson said.

“The district engineer points to contractors and borrows their licenses, which he will use to implement the project. There are also feelers that there are irregularities in even the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board.”

Lacson pointed to engineering offices in Bulacan and San Carlos City in Negros Occidental as among those allegedly involved in the widespread corruption, which he said mirrors syndicate operations.

He added that these revelations come on top of the ghost and failed flood control projects he exposed during his privilege speech last August 20, particularly in Pampanga, La Union, and Oriental Mindoro. 

Among the questionable contractors, Lacson singled out Darcy and Anna Builders, which he claimed secured multiple flood control contracts in Bulacan under suspicious circumstances.

Lacson also slammed what he called a lack of transparency in the national budgeting process, allowing "funders" — lawmakers who insert questionable projects into the General Appropriations Act (GAA) — to escape accountability.

He decried how the 2025 GAA gave DPWH a larger allocation than the education sector,  in violation of the 1987 Constitution, while stripping the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) of its subsidy.

“Because of such greed, the funders sought to accommodate funding for the projects at the expense of PhilHealth and other agencies,” Lacson said. 

“That was the first time I heard of the regular budget being realigned to the unprogrammed fund. Next thing we know, they may target the automatic appropriations next,” he added. 

Lacson renewed his call for an open and transparent budgeting system where lawmakers who propose insertions or amendments are publicly identified and held accountable, especially when projects are later found to be anomalous or non-existent.