Senator Bam Aquino on Friday urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to release a comprehensive and detailed list of alleged ghost and substandard flood control projects with complete with names of contractors and project proponents, to ensure full transparency and accountability in the ongoing corruption probe.
“Paglabas niyo iyan, dapat naka-publish, dapat nakalagay sinong contractor, magkano, ghost ba ito o extreme substandard. Ano ba iyong assessment ninyo, at sino ang proponent (When you release that, it should be published and must include who the contractor is, how much it costs, whether it's a ghost project or extremely substandard. What is your assessment, and who is the proponent?),” Aquino said in a radio interview.
“Kung merong mananagot, lahat ng kasangkot, makukulong talaga (If someone is to be held accountable, then everyone involved should really go to jail),” he added.
Aquino's call follows the latest Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday, where he pressed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to provide a full accounting of the anomalous infrastructure projects that have cost the government billions of pesos.
Aquino emphasized the importance of releasing the list publicly, saying it should not only show the location and funding of each project, but also identify the contractor and government official who proposed or endorsed the project.
“We really want to get to the bottom of this. Malinaw dapat siya. So, in a few weeks, lalabas iyong listahan. Malalaman natin sino yung ghost, sino yung severely. I'll just use that broadly, severely substandard. Ilalabas po ninyo kung anong lugar, sino yung contractor, pati rin po yung proponent, ilalabas po ninyo,” Aquino stressed.
In response, Dizon committed to releasing the list within one to two weeks, promising it would be published through a publicly accessible transparency portal.
Meanwhile, Aquino also raised concerns about reports that controversial contractor Curlee Discaya, allegedly involved in numerous questionable flood control contracts, may be seeking protection under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).
“Kung ano ang tatanungin, hindi talaga. Ganung kalaking pera iyong ninakaw. Pinagmamalaki mo pa, tapos mapapawalang-sala ka (Based on what's being asked, definitely not. That much money was stolen. And you're even bragging about it, then you'll just get away with it?" Aquino said, expressing disbelief that Discaya could evade accountability),” Aquino said, expressing disbelief that Discaya could evade accountability.
“Inaamin naman nila iyong ginawa nila. Dapat talagang makulong iyan (They even admit what they did. That person really deserves to be jailed),” he added.
Aquino earlier called on the DPWH to consider the filing of bid-rigging cases under the Philippine Competition Act (PCA) against erring contractors involved in anomalous flood control projects as another way to hold them accountable and to recover billions of pesos in misused public funds.
He pointed out that bid rigging carries penalties ranging from P100 million to P250 million per offense under the PCA after Dizon acknowledged that such illegal practice occurred in the controversial flood control projects.
“The PCC can file an administrative complaint and fine those engaged in bid rigging. A fine of P100 million to P250 million per instance,” Aquino explained.
"Kung 600 ang kontrata natin, that's 600 times P100 million or P250 million, aabot ka ng P150 billion in fines. And you only need substantial evidence, not evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, because this is administrative,” he added.