Daily Tribune
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Friday said arrests linked to the multibillion-peso flood control corruption scandal are expected within days, stressing that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a swift and uncompromising crackdown on those involved.
Speaking in a live DZRH interview, Dizon said the President has made clear that accountability is now moving into its enforcement phase.
“The happy days of those who stole public funds are over, and the arrests are about to begin,” Dizon said. “It will start with the nearly 40 individuals included in the first batch of cases. These are the cases in Oriental Mindoro already announced by the Ombudsman, which will be filed before the Sandiganbayan.”
Dizon confirmed that former congressman Zaldy Co is among those facing charges. The initial list also includes the Discaya couple, as well as several DPWH personnel long linked to questionable projects.
“Bulacan cases have also been filed. Included there are the Discayas, and the notorious DPWH figures — the so-called BGC Boys: Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza,” he said. “This is only the beginning.”
The DPWH chief said President Marcos has repeatedly instructed law enforcement to move fast.
“The President said this will not reach December. Even now in November, people will already be sent to jail,” Dizon said. “Whoever they may be, as long as the evidence is solid enough to guarantee conviction, we will pursue them.”
Dizon confirmed that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has already filed cases involving several congressmen and some senators before the Office of the Ombudsman.
“The President said we will not spare anyone. If the evidence is strong, that is where we will go,” he said.
Asked directly whether former House Speaker Martin Romualdez — President Marcos’ cousin — would be exempt from investigation, Dizon made the administration’s position clear.
“The President has repeated this many times: no one will be spared. Even relatives, cousins, or allies — if the evidence leads there, we will go there,” he said.
Dizon emphasized that the government will not file weak cases.
“The President said we cannot just file cases with weak evidence. We have seen what happened in the past,” he said.
Pressed on whether arrests would happen as early as next week, Dizon pointed to the Ombudsman’s accelerated timetable.
“Let us wait. But the Ombudsman himself is moving very quickly, and it is only a matter of days or weeks,” he said.
During the interview, Dizon will be traveling to Catanduanes and Baler to inspect damage from Typhoon Uwan after President Marcos ordered immediate repairs to roads, bridges, and coastal infrastructure.
“I am on my way to Catanduanes and Baler today. This is a follow-up to the President’s visit yesterday. He saw the severe damage caused by Typhoon Uwan and instructed me to ensure fast repairs, especially in coastal areas,” Dizon said.
He noted that the previously damaged coastal road in Baler was reopened two days ago, but he was directed to “make sure repairs are expedited.”
Dizon also discussed the administration’s upcoming rollout of Oplan Kontra Baha, a national flood-mitigation drive that brings together government agencies and private corporations.
The DPWH chief said that while several groups — including San Miguel Corporation and Metro Pacific — have launched their own initiatives, these efforts have been fragmented.
“Many programs are already being done to reduce flooding in Greater Metro Manila, but they are uncoordinated,” he said. “These projects were done independently and without government spending, but the impact is small if the efforts are not integrated and long-term.”
He said President Marcos has brought together the national government, DPWH, MMDA, LGUs, and the private sector to unify flood-control strategies.
“This must be continuous every year—nine months of uninterrupted work when the typhoons are not as strong,” he said. “This will be implemented nationwide. It is a massive, long-term program.”
Dizon added that the President will launch the next phase of the program in Cebu next week.
