House Panel Demands Plunder Charges Over Bulacan River Wall
Authorities must file plunder charges against the contractor and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials linked to a failed river wall project in Bulacan, sources said. This call came during the first hearing of the House tri-committee investigating anomalous flood control projects under the Marcos administration.
Bicol Saro Representative Terry Ridon, who chairs the committee, highlighted the need to pursue legal action. The river wall project, budgeted at P55 million, was never completed despite the contract with Syms Construction Trading and oversight by the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office.
Evidence Points to Possible Plunder
“The threshold for plunder is P50 million. This project is P55 million. Plunder charges should be filed against all involved personalities at the soonest time,” Ridon emphasized. Documents gathered by the committee appear sufficient to build a strong case against the parties involved.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally inspected the site in Barangay Piel, Baliuag, Bulacan, on August 20. He expressed frustration and anger upon discovering that no actual work had been done on the river wall.
President Marcos Condemns Project Falsification
“It’s very clear that the project isn’t completed. So immediately, that’s falsification — and that alone is already a very serious violation,” the president remarked. He also considered filing economic sabotage charges against the contractor, calling the nonexistent project a “perfect example of abuse.”
House Tri-Committee Re-Formed to Investigate Flood Control Anomalies
The revelations about the Bulacan river wall and other questionable flood control projects led the House to reconstitute the tri-committee last August. Now known as “infracomm,” it combines the public accounts, public works, and good government panels to ensure thorough investigation.
Ridon further disclosed plans to scrutinize two additional substandard projects in Calumpit, Bulacan. These projects were handled by St. Timothy Construction and Wawao Builders, both among the top 15 contractors monopolizing flood control contracts nationwide over the past three years.
Contractors Under Fire for Flood Control Failures
St. Timothy Construction is part of a nine-company conglomerate led by Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who secured more than 400 projects worth over P30 billion in 2022 alone, officials reported. Meanwhile, Wawao Builders faces a DPWH investigation for allegedly involved ghost projects in flood-prone Bulacan.
Commitment to Transparency and Accountability
The House panel pledged to submit all findings to an independent commission recently established by the president to probe flood control project irregularities. “This is to demonstrate to the public that we will not cover up for any congressman or senator,” Ridon added, underscoring the commitment to transparency.
As investigations continue, local leaders and community members remain hopeful that justice will be served and that future flood control projects will be properly executed to protect vulnerable communities.
For more news and updates on flood control projects, visit Filipinokami.com.
