Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday called on government agencies to end collusion and corruption behind substandard and “ghost” flood control projects, warning that parts of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have become a “playground” for corrupt practices.
“Isolated case here, isolated case there, isolated cases everywhere. Maybe we should start looking for an isolated case of a corrupt-free, properly implemented flood control project,” Lacson said in a post on X.
He revealed that corruption goes beyond DPWH, citing the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), under the Department of Trade and Industry, for allowing blacklisted firms to re-register under new names. Lacson urged PCAB to work closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission to block these practices.
“So, close coordination and cooperation among different agencies of government is best. The agencies should not collude. Instead, they should provide check and balance,” he stressed.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros earlier questioned how select contractors cornered projects and avoided blacklisting, while Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III flagged PCAB’s renewal of licenses for firms linked to anomalous projects, including one inspected by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Bulacan.
Lacson also criticized PCAB’s alleged “accreditation for sale,” claiming some contractors were asked to pay PHP2 million to process requirements. He pushed for amendments to Republic Act 4566, which created PCAB, including extending the blacklisting period from one to five years and limiting the number of projects awarded to a single contractor.
He further revealed that some corporations use interlocking directors to secure multiple contracts, calling it “a practice committed by unscrupulous corporations that deal with government, particularly flood control projects.”
Lacson said these issues will be tackled in the upcoming Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings with the DPWH, PCAB, and other agencies.