Dizon: Cases vs flood control suspects coming
‘It is understandable that they are overwhelmed because we submitted a lot of documents, both the DPWH and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.’
‘It is understandable that they are overwhelmed because we submitted a lot of documents, both the DPWH and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.’
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon expressed confidence the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman will soon file cases against those implicated in the flood control corruption schemes, despite the massive scale of the cases.
Dizon’s remarks on Wednesday were in response to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro’s claim that both agencies were “overwhelmed” by the volume of illicit transactions under scrutiny, potentially reaching P1 trillion.
Acknowledging the challenge, Dizon highlighted the justice system’s readiness to handle the complex cases.
“It is understandable that they are overwhelmed because we submitted a lot of documents, both the DPWH and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI),” he said in a television interview.
“But we have full confidence in the abilities of Ombudsman Boying Remulla and acting DoJ Secretary Eric Vida,” he added. “The next step is to watch for the cases they will file in the coming weeks.”
Dizon also highlighted the role of the ICI, a special body created by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to probe the irregularities in flood control projects. “I have yet to see their final report, but in the past six months, they have achieved a lot,” he said.
Although the ICI’s term was six months, Chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. noted the commission operated as a fully functioning collegial body for only 90 days.
During that period, it submitted nine referrals covering 65 individuals to the Ombudsman and convened a technical working group of 20 government agencies focused on asset recovery. The ICI has since turned over its findings to both the DoJ and the Ombudsman for further action.
Since the launch of the flood control investigation in September 2025, Ombudsman prosecutors have filed three major cases.
These were against former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co and 15 others for malversation and graft over a P289-million substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro; against contractor Sarah Discaya and several associates over a P96.5-million alleged ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental; and against former Senator Bong Revilla, former DPWH assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, and five others over a P92.8-million alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
