From ghost to substandard projects: Blue ribbon casts wider net in resumption of infra probe

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will revive its stalled investigation into alleged anomalous government projects, this time casting a wider net that will not only target perpetrators of blatant “ghost” projects but also minor irregularities such as substandard work.

Panel chair Erwin Tulfo made the announcement on Sunday amid reports that “substandard” materials were to blame for a retaining wall that collapsed along EDSA-Ayala northbound beside Forbes Park on Saturday, as confirmed by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon. 

“Bridges, roads, and public works that clearly failed to meet standards. We will investigate them one by one,” Tulfo said in a radio interview. 

“Obviously, there’s corruption in there because you are given this certain amount of budget to construct these structures according to standards, but it’s unfinished or subpar,” he added. 

The wall collapsed as Metro Manila was being battered by a series of typhoons in the past two weeks, blocking two crucial lanes and paralyzing metro traffic. 

Dizon suspected that the contractor for the project installed lightweight materials instead of solid concrete as specified in the contract. The practice of using substandard materials, though illegal, has been prevalent in government to make room for kickbacks between politicians and contractors.

Tulfo bared that the BRC is currently coordinating with the DPWH and other concerned agencies to get to the bottom of the alleged systematic corruption in infrastructure projects ahead of the probe's resumption.  

“Corruption has plagued this system for too long, and we are tackling it head-on, one issue at a time. We will be strict in gathering rock-solid evidence, and we will conduct this strictly by the book,” he concluded.

Earlier, Tulfo alleged that there had been attempts from the Senate minority bloc, led by Senator Alan Cayetano, to derail the resumption of the probe amid the findings of Senator Ping Lacson’s independent investigation into purported anomalous projects in Taguig—Cayetano’s political bailiwick. 

Lacson, who formerly chaired the powerful committee before Tulfo took over in June, had already turned over the findings to the Ombudsman to expedite the fact-finding process and the issuance of a possible warrant against Cayetano. 

He pointed out that Tulfo still has the final say on whether to publicly expose the alleged irregularities in Taguig in the BRC probe. 

However, he also noted that some of their potential witnesses have expressed reluctance to face the Senate’s public hearing for fear of being harassed.

“The witnesses asked if they could be referred to the Ombudsman instead of being called to a public hearing. I agree with them, because they might be exposed prematurely if they are called to the public hearings," Lacson said in Filipino in a radio interview.

As of now, Lacson alleged that the number of flood mitigation projects marred by irregularities and anomalies in Taguig stands at 32. 

This allegedly includes several hectares of land illegally reclaimed by Taguig from Laguna Lake, purportedly without a single permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"The reclaimed land may be benefiting residents, as former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano claims, but the proper procedures and laws still have to be followed, including securing the necessary permits. The PRA said the city government did not secure a single permit," Lacson added. 

The scheme also allegedly involved misrepresenting an illegal reclamation project as slope protection structures, ghost projects, double funding, and the recycling of photos from previously completed contracts to justify billing and payment for purportedly new projects.

The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) has reportedly begun the process that could lead to the forfeiture of the allegedly illegally reclaimed land to the national government.

“If reclamation is undertaken without a permit from the PRA, which is the agency mandated to regulate reclamation and issue the necessary permits, the logical conclusion is that the land should be forfeited in favor of the national government. And the PRA confirmed that there was not a single permit," he added.

Cayetano had already debunked the allegations, saying the Bicutan lakeshore in Taguig remains under government control and is designated as a public park. He added that the projects spanned three administrations—Aquino, Duterte, and Marcos Jr.—and were undertaken by government-to-government coordination.

“It is not true that the rumors being spread by gossipmongers that there is a private reclamation project there,” Cayetano said, referring to Lacson as a Marites (gossipmonger) and a troll. 

The minority leader likewise slammed Lacson for weaponizing the findings against him rather than leaving them entirely to the proper authorities.