DoJ urged to file cases over substandard flood projects

A SENATOR on Monday said the Justice department should file charges against those involved in substandard flood control projects, including Public Works department officials and politicians.

“If a shoplifter can be jailed for stealing something worth less than a hundred pesos, then those who plundered trillions in public funds must face even harsher consequences,” Senator Erwin T. Tulfo said in a statement.

“They stole trillions of pesos from the Filipino people, so they must be held accountable,” he added.

His call for court charges comes amid a sweeping anti-corruption campaign by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on substandard flood control infrastructure projects allegedly caused by corruption and collusion among contractors and officials.

About P1.2 trillion has been spent on flood control projects since 2011, Mr. Tulfo said, citing Public Works department data.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo B. Benitez said the Justice department should put in place a whistleblower program for officials from the Public Works department who wish to testify in the alleged anomalous flood infrastructure projects.

A protection program for witnesses is vital if the Justice department is keen on building cases for those linked to subpar infrastructure, he said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio