President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is firmly committed to rooting out corruption and the misuse of public funds in flood control projects, such that the government’s investigation will spare no one, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“Kahit malapit sa puso, kahit kaibigan, wala pong sisinuhin ang Pangulo – mananagot ang dapat managot,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
Castro said the investigation into irregularities in flood control projects will be led by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) through its Regional Project Monitoring Committees (RPMC).
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will provide the records of all the projects, she said.
“Sa pag-iimbestiga po hindi naman po kasama mismo ang DPWH. Sila lamang po ang magbibigay, magpo-provide ng mga information, ng mga records dahil po ang siyang mag-iimbestiga rito po ay pangungunahan po ng Regional Project Monitoring Committees at ang Oversight Team po ay ang Department of Economy, Planning, and Development o DEPDev,” Castro said.
Aside from DEPDev, other participating agencies include the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Office of the President-Presidential Management Staff (OP-PMS), and possibly non-government or people’s organizations.
“Lahat po ng naipon na records ng RPMC isusumite po ito sa DEPDev at iyong consolidated po ang siyang mismong ibibigay po sa Pangulo,” Castro said.
Castro said public reporting on flood control projects will not have a deadline.
While reporting may be done anonymously, Castro warned the public not to send fictitious or fraudulent information.
“Huwag lamang po ninyong sanang gawing laro ang pagre-report. Siguraduhin lamang po ninyo na iyong ire-report ninyo ay may basehan para po hindi naman masayang ang oras ng gobyerno na para saliksikin pa po ang inyong ini-report,” Castro said.
President Marcos launched the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website on Monday and called on the public to directly report to him any anomalous flood control projects in their areas.
The website, sumbongsapangulo.ph, was set up following the President’s directive during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to investigate irregularities in flood control projects, considering the recurrent severe flooding experienced during the typhoon season. | PND
