Ombudsman receives Senate report on flood control mess

The Office of the Ombudsman received a partial report from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday, 12 May, following its inquiry into the alleged flood control mess, according to Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano.

Clavano said the information contained in the report would be forwarded to the teams handling the flood control cases and could be used if necessary.

The report was delivered by Senator Panfilo Lacson through a privilege speech after it failed to secure enough signatures to pass at the committee level.

The report recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against several public officials allegedly linked to the flood control controversy, including Senators Joel Villanueva, Francis Escudero, and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as former senator Bong Revilla, former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, and former Caloocan representative Mitch Cajayon-Uy.

Despite the allegations, all those named have denied involvement in the alleged anomalies surrounding the flood control projects.

The Ombudsman has already filed three batches of flood control-related cases since September 2025.

These include malversation and graft charges against public officials and contractors linked to alleged irregularities involving a P289-million substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro, a P96.5-million alleged ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental, and a P92.8-million alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

In the progress report received by the Ombudsman, Lacson reportedly stated that there was no single mastermind behind the flood control mess, saying the corruption linked to the projects appeared to have been committed separately.