Marcos orders life-style checks on all authorities officers amid flood management probe

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a way of life verify on all authorities officers as a part of the administration’s investigation into anomalous flood management tasks, Malacañang mentioned Wednesday.

In a press convention, Palace Press Office Claire Castro mentioned the life-style verify would cowl your complete govt division, beginning with officers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who’ve been linked to questionable flood management tasks.

“President Marcos has ordered lifestyle checks on all officials amid the investigation into anomalous flood control projects,” Castro mentioned. “All those involved in anomalous flood control projects will be covered.”

The Palace official mentioned the President additionally ordered an intensive evaluate of DPWH information of the tasks in query.

“We cannot deny that there are DPWH officials allegedly involved, and most likely the checks will start there,” she mentioned.

Asked about who would lead the checks, Castro mentioned a number of companies have authority, together with the Office of the Ombudsman, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the companies themselves.

Castro additionally assured the general public that the investigations can be impartial though corruption has been described as “deeply entrenched” within the paperwork.

“The government’s investigation is ongoing to identify those behind projects that should have helped solve widespread flooding in the country,” Castro mentioned.

“The president has spoken, so each agency must fulfill its duty,” she added.

Castro, nevertheless, mentioned that Marcos was not naming anybody at this stage, as he didn’t wish to unfairly implicate the harmless.

Close monitoring

“If that is a priority project and aligned with the NEP (National Expenditure Program), accountability is stricter. The president will monitor it more closely,” Castro mentioned.

“But whether it’s in the NEP or part of insertions or projects by other politicians, that does not mean it won’t be investigated. All of these will be investigated fairly,” she added.

Castro mentioned Marcos’ order ought to function a sign to companies just like the Commission on Audit, the Bureau of Customs and native governments to do their half in probing anomalies.

She notably talked about purple flags similar to sudden possession of luxurious vehicles, questionable enterprise permits and potential tax evasion.

“We are seeing many acquiring luxury cars, and the Bureau of Customs should check if these were properly taxed,” Castro mentioned.

She added that contractors dealing with massive tasks also needs to be examined by native governments and the BIR to see if their reported earnings match their permits and tax funds.

Castro mentioned that Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan continued to benefit from the belief and confidence of the President regardless of the latest discovery of ghost flood management tasks in some elements of the nation.

“If there will be any action regarding Secretary Bonoan, let us just wait. But as of the moment, the trust is still there,” Castro mentioned.

She additionally deferred answering questions on former public works secretary Rogelio Singson’s latest declare that he had acquired feelers from Malacañang a few potential return to the DPWH as Bonoan’s substitute.

Playground for syndicates

Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo Lacson mentioned the DPWH has grow to be a “playground” for prison syndicates as a few of its engineering places of work had been tied to mafia-like actions.

He acquired info on the alleged involvement of some DPWH officers in anomalous flood management tasks, together with tasks that weren’t within the report submitted to President Marcos.

“There are so many irregularities involving the district engineering offices,” Lacson mentioned in a radio interview.

“The district engineer points to contractors and borrows their licenses, which he will use to implement the project,” he mentioned.

Lacson mentioned that these syndicate-like actions aren’t solely in Bulacan, but in addition in different areas like San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

He additionally acquired studies that there are irregularities within the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board. “The DPWH has become a playground for syndicates,” he mentioned.

Open to dialogue

Castro mentioned the federal government is prepared to have interaction in discussions to deal with points regarding the nation’s flood management tasks.

She confirmed that Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong had already submitted to Marcos the paperwork detailing the alleged corruption within the implementation of flood management tasks.

“The president is open to dialogue with anyone if it concerns the alleged anomalies in flood control projects,” she mentioned.

Marcos has personally inspected 11 flood management tasks in Marikina, Iloilo, Bulacan and Benguet simply days after receiving citizen complaints by means of the federal government’s “Sumbong Sa Pangulo” portal.

As of Wednesday, the Office of the President has acquired 9,020 complaints relating to anomalous flood management tasks lodged by means of the sumbongsapangulo.ph web site.