Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero confirmed on Tuesday that subpoenas have been signed and will be served this week to contractors and officials allegedly involved in ghost and substandard flood control projects.
Escudero said he approved the documents last week upon the request of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, which is leading the probe into anomalous projects flagged by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Senator Panfilo Lacson.
“Lahat ng hiniling ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa pamumuno ni Sen. Marcoleta ay pinirmahan ko last week (All the requests of the Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Marcoleta were signed last week),” Escudero told reporters.
He stressed that contractors and officials summoned are duty-bound to appear before the Senate, warning of strict enforcement. “Sundin ang kautusan ng Senado under pain of arrest – ang proseso ng Senado ay susundan at susunurin namin sinuman ang nababanggit dun (Obey the order of the Senate under pain of arrest – the Senate process will be enforced and followed by anyone named there),” he said.
Escudero underscored the significance of the investigation, citing the massive corruption allegations in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) flood control program, where accusations of ghost projects and substandard works have persisted despite trillions of pesos in spending since 2011.
“Kung hindi nga nila susundin ang subpoena ng Senado, ang susunod na doon ay arrest warrant na hindi ako mag-aatubiling pirmahan (If they do not comply with the Senate subpoena, the next step is an arrest warrant which I will not hesitate to sign),” Escudero warned.
The Blue Ribbon Committee is set to resume hearings next week to determine accountability among contractors, DPWH officials, and politicians allegedly involved in the irregularities.