Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said he will require potential witnesses in the ghost flood control projects controversy to submit affidavits before any hearing.
In a radio interview, Lacson explained that the move comes in response to individuals who appear to present themselves as witnesses only to justify and defend contractors and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel implicated in the alleged ghost projects.
"What we said was, we don’t need a defense, but the facts, and to discuss the possibility of granting them legislative immunity," he said in Filipino.
Lacson emphasized that affidavits must contain facts and not defenses, adding that these will be submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which will determine whether a statement comes from an ordinary witness or an accused posing as one.
He clarified that even accused government officials and contractors may testify, but participation as witnesses will not absolve them of liability. “There are laws and regulations regarding the situation,” he noted.
The senator said they are filtering possible witnesses since each one may have their own agenda.
Lacson also expressed dissatisfaction with the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB) after he asked the agency to act on allegations of an “accreditation for sale” scheme in infrastructure projects.
"The more sensible response would have been, ‘We’ll look into it.’ Not an outright denial, acting as if you're completely innocent. Don’t be so quick to claim innocence when it's clear there are anomalies surfacing," he said.
He pointed out that two board directors — Engineer Erni Baggao of EGB Construction Corp. and Arthur Escalante of AN Escalante Construction Inc.—secured government contracts while serving on the PCAB board, a situation he said shows a conflict of interest.
"When you enter government service — especially in a regulatory body — and you have a conflict of interest because your business or professional practice conflicts with your government position, you are required to divest within 30 days," Lacson explained.
PCAB, which accredits contractors engaged in public and private construction under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), later issued a statement claiming it has been proactive in addressing social media reports about individuals posing as insiders and offering instant services for payment. Lacson, however, was dissatisfied with this response.