P866M reclaimed from flood control mess

The Department of Justice (DoJ), in reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding public funds and protecting flood-vulnerable communities, has successfully recovered P866.38 million in misused funds tied to irregular flood control projects.

This was according to Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, who confirmed that the recovered funds — up by P25 million from the previously reported P841.38 million — have been formally remitted to the national coffers through the Bureau of the Treasury as of October 2026.

Beyond financial restitution, Undersecretary Vasquez underscored that the Department is aggressively pursuing accountability through evidence-based prosecution, having handled 29 cases involving alleged irregularities in flood control infrastructure.

At present, of the 29 flood control cases handled by the DoJ, three malversation and graft cases are filed before Regional Trial Courts, alongside five tax-related cases brought before the Court of Tax Appeals.

9 cases awaited

Two cases have been endorsed to the Office of the Ombudsman and subsequently filed before the Sandiganbayan.

Nine additional cases involving malversation, graft, or plunder have either been endorsed to the Ombudsman or have reached final resolution.

Two cases remain filed with the DoJ, while eight tax-related cases were dismissed following thorough legal evaluation.

Undersecretary Vasquez emphasized that while the DoJ is relentless in holding corrupt actors accountable, its rigorous case build-up is equally designed to uphold due process and shield innocent individuals from fabricated or weaponized charges.