The flood of corruption

With trillions spent on infrastructure projects, still, dikes collapsed, and farms and houses were flooded. In different venues, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong bared ghost contracts, inferior quality, misappropriation of funds, and overpricing by contractors, engineers, and politicians.

- LT. GEN. AURELIO B. BALADAD (RET)

Lacson, in his privilege speech, stated the misappropriation of funds in flood control projects. Presented were evidence on projects completed only on paper, embankments that were repeatedly constructed, and dikes costing hundreds of millions that collapsed. Only around 40 percent of the P1.9 trillion for flood control allotted since 2011 was actually spent on construction. The rest of the funds were allegedly divided among contractors, politicians, auditors, and engineers.

Meanwhile, Magalong in previous forums and in his interview with Jessica Soho stated that his investigation discovered rock netting costing P6,000 but sold at P25,000, cat's eyes reflectors canvassed at P1,350 yet bought at P11,720, and barriers contracted for P121,330 but cost only P20,000. Most glaring is his revelation that only around 30 percent of the project amount really reaches execution.

With the revelations, swift and angry reactions were immediately observed. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, said in his State of the Nation Address, “Mahiya naman kayo!” in the halls of Congress. Senators condemned the scandal.