FOLLOWING heavy flooding in several parts of Cebu in recent weeks, the Office of the Ombudsman will investigate P60 billion worth of flood control projects carried out in the province over the last six years.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday, Aug. 10, that the investigation will determine whether the projects were properly designed and executed and whether corruption contributed to the continuing flooding.
“That’s a lot of money to control the flooding, but apparently, [in] the past month, flooding happened again here in Cebu,” Remulla said during a press conference after a town hall meeting with employees of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas in Cebu City.
Remulla said about 20 percent of the P60 billion went to Cebu’s 7th District, while about 25 percent went to a single contractor.
The 7th District covers Alcantara, Alegria, Badian, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Moalboal and Ronda.
The Ombudsman will begin the probe in areas that experienced flooding and examine the flood control projects implemented there.
Remulla said investigators will look into whether the problems resulted from project design, execution or possible corruption.
“We have to look at what’s happening. Is it the design? Is it the execution? Or is it just corruption? We will find out and we will know,” he said, adding that the investigation will cover the entire province.
The Ombudsman will also scrutinize the Office of the Regional Director of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas, as well as the district engineers involved in the projects.
Remulla said investigators will conduct lifestyle checks on some DPWH engineers and examine contractors for possible bid-rigging.
The review will also extend to other parts of the Visayas, including areas in Bohol and Tacloban. He said the office will use digital tools to verify whether reported flood control projects actually exist and meet required standards.
Investigators will check project coordinates and other records to determine whether projects were constructed, whether they are substandard or whether they could be “ghost” projects.
Remulla said investigators will also examine project contracts and technical specifications because flood control investigations involve extensive documentation.
He said the office would not immediately identify individuals or file cases based solely on allegations.
“We cannot file cases just like that. Or put people in jail just like that. We need the evidence,” Remulla said.
Remulla also pushed for greater transparency in government, saying the Ombudsman is advocating for legislation that would require government transactions to be digitally recorded and made accessible to the public from the barangay level to the executive department.
The proposed transparency measures would cover government contracts, permits, salaries, procurement and bidding processes.
Remulla said government bidding processes should be digitally recorded and made accessible to the public.
He cited mobile phones, closed-circuit television cameras, artificial intelligence, social media and the internet as tools that could help improve transparency.
He said corruption must be addressed at all levels of government and not only through investigations into major national projects.
Remulla said the Ombudsman will also examine other government projects and transactions that could be vulnerable to corruption.
Aside from flood control, the office will look into government procurement and bidding for electricity-related projects, solar projects and other schemes involving government funds.
The office will also examine possible conflicts of interest involving public officials and contractors.
Remulla raised concerns about elected officials who also become contractors and contractors who enter politics, saying such arrangements could create conflicts between public service and private interests.
The Ombudsman will also look into local government transactions, including permits, contracts and business and licensing processes.
To strengthen the regional office’s investigative capacity, Remulla said the Ombudsman plans to hire 20 more lawyers for the Ombudsman-Visayas.
The additional lawyers will handle fact-finding, prosecution and criminal investigation work.
Remulla said the office must secure sufficient evidence before filing cases, particularly because people involved in corruption may have money and influence.
He said the certainty of punishment plays an important role in deterring corruption and that the Ombudsman’s work should help create a culture of accountability in government.
Remulla also urged Filipinos to bring the same support they have shown for tennis player Alex Eala, who recently won her first WTA Tour title, to the fight against corruption.
“The Filipinos are all there, cheering their own, looking for a hero, looking for something good about our country,” he said. He urged the public to carry that same spirit into national issues, saying Filipinos should “care about what’s happening in our country” and be aware of the consequences of government actions.
