Group presses Marcos for ombudsman probe on flood scandal

A non-government organization (NGO) founded by broadcaster Bienvenido “Ben” Tulfo has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to formally request the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) to investigate alleged anomalies in multibillion-peso flood control projects.

Tulfo, who chairs IpaBITAG Mo Inc. (IBMI), said during a press conference in Quezon City on Friday that a directive from the President would help ensure a swift, impartial, and thorough probe. He was joined by IBMI legal counsel Melanio “Batas” Mauricio and executive director Apple Meneses.

“Anyway, President Marcos was the one who exposed irregularities in flood control projects in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last month, so we think that it would be more effective if he would be the one to ask the Ombudsman to start conducting an investigation,” Tulfo told reporters.

Tulfo revealed that he had already written acting Ombudsman Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo on August 27, urging a motu proprio probe into what he described as “the worst corruption scandal in the country.” He lamented the Ombudsman’s “deafening silence” despite the President’s exposé naming 15 contractors that cornered around P100 billion — or 20 percent of the P545-billion flood control budget — from July 2022 to May 2025.

“The President’s disclosure did not merely come through a press release. He appeared in a televised press conference complete with PowerPoint presentation of the 15 contractors,” Tulfo said. “This presidential action alone, we believe, is sufficient to warrant a motu proprio action by your good office.”

He stressed that the Ombudsman, not the Senate, is the proper authority mandated by law to conduct an investigation. “Let the Senate do its own inquiry, but it’s only in aid of legislation. Ultimately, whatever it may find out, it would still ask the Ombudsman to investigate,” he added.

Tulfo also cited the confirmation of DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who earlier admitted that “shameless pocketing of billions and billions of flood control fund has been and still being carried out by unscrupulous individuals masquerading as DPWH directors, engineers and other public officials in conspiracy with politicians.”

He urged the Ombudsman to act without delay and “without fear or favor,” vowing that IBMI is willing to fully cooperate in the probe.