House flood control probe begins Sept. 2

VP Sara calls for deep dive in lifestyle check

- By ELLSON QUISMORIO and RAYMUND ANTONIO

The House of Representatives will launch its much-awaited investigation on the flood control projects controversy on Tuesday, Sept. 2, through its so-called infrastructure committee (infra comm).

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon announced this during a press conference on Thursday, Aug. 28, at the House, stressing that the House Infrastructure Committee (infra comm) will handle the investigation.

As this developed, Vice President Sara Duterte urged that lifestyle checks ordered by President Marcos on government officials must be deep dive and not merely superficial.

"Yes, as it should be. And not just on elected public officials, but appointed public officials, too," she said in an interview in The Hague, Netherlands. "Not just those on the surface, those already on the SALN [Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth], it should be a deep dive, including the dummy.' The House infra comm is composed of three separate panels-the House Committees on Public Accounts, on Good Government and Public Accountability, and on Public Works and Highways. These panels are chaired by Ridon, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, and Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Romeo Momo Sr., respectively.

"All the resource persons who need to be invited, including the officialdom of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as well as all the contractors mentioned by the President who were awarded major flood control projects, are included," Ridon said.