FORMER Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson on Monday alleged a wide-ranging corruption scheme in government flood control projects, accusing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of being the “mastermind” and decrying what he described as the absence of meaningful investigations by state authorities.
Speaking at a lengthy media briefing, Singson claimed that key officials from the executive branch, lawmakers, and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were involved in the alleged anomalies.
He cited earlier remarks attributed to former House speaker Martin Romualdez that the executive branch was implicated, saying this supported his assertion that the president was ultimately responsible.
“From the very beginning, I have been saying that he is the mastermind,” Singson said, alleging that other people were being used as intermediaries.
He questioned the inaction of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice, claiming that instead of pursuing those allegedly involved in the scheme, authorities had filed cases against whistleblowers. He also suggested that political considerations and internal arrangements prevented cases from moving forward.
Singson said he had intended to testify before the Senate and submit an affidavit detailing the alleged anomalies, but the hearing was canceled on the same day he was set to appear. He presented a copy of a letter requesting his affidavit by April 7 and another notice canceling the hearing, which cited scheduling adjustments due to an ongoing national energy emergency inquiry.
“I was already there, ready to submit,” Singson said, adding that the cancellation effectively blocked him from presenting his evidence. He claimed the Senate later cited his supposed failure to submit an affidavit as the reason for not proceeding with his testimony.
Turning to the substance of his allegations, Singson said government claims that 5,500 flood control projects had been completed nationwide were false. He said he had coordinated with local officials across the country through his roles in various local government leagues and found no evidence supporting this figure.
“There are no 5,500 projects,” he said, adding that flooding across multiple regions during recent typhoons contradicted official claims of completed infrastructure.
Singson presented documents, photos, and videos which he said showed “ghost,” delayed, or substandard flood control projects in Ilocos Norte, particularly in its first district. He alleged that at least P15.7 billion worth of projects were allocated to the district from 2023 to 2025, with funds released directly to the district level rather than coursed through regional offices, allowing projects to be split into smaller contracts to avoid public bidding.
Among the projects he cited was a P47-million flood control structure in Barangay Catayagan in Ilocos Sur that he said used substandard materials, with concrete thickness measuring only about 70 millimeters instead of the required 200 millimeters.
He also pointed to an P82-million project in Barangay Bil-loca in Batac, Ilocos Norte that he said remained unfinished despite being funded under the 2024 budget and scheduled for completion within the same year.
Singson claimed that some projects initially did not exist on-site during inspections but were later constructed after documentation began, raising suspicions that funds had already been released prior to actual work. He alleged that many projects were either rushed, poorly built, or merely cosmetic.
He also identified several contractors allegedly involved in multiple projects, including Ferdstar Builders Contractors and Megapolitan Builders and Construction Supply, claiming that a small group of firms repeatedly received contracts across the district.
According to Singson, contractors were required to remit about 25 percent of project funds, which he said encouraged substandard work or noncompletion. He alleged that payments were released in full at the outset of projects, rather than through standard progress billing, enabling contractors to recover costs despite incomplete work.
“Because of the 25-percent cut, many projects are not finished or are just substandard,” he said.
He also claimed that funds for flood control projects were sourced in part from reallocated government funds, including money from financial institutions, although he did not present detailed documentation on this point during the briefing.
Singson said the alleged anomalies were not limited to Ilocos Norte, asserting that similar practices occurred nationwide and contributed to persistent flooding in provinces such as Bulacan and areas in the Visayas.
He further alleged that whistleblowers and contractors who spoke out faced legal harassment, citing the case of the Discaya couple who he said were jailed after revealing details of the scheme. Singson claimed he was being threatened with plunder charges in retaliation for his statements.
Calling for broader action, Singson urged the Senate to pursue a full investigation and appealed to the public, religious groups, and members of the military and police to speak out against corruption.
“If we remain silent, nothing will happen,” he said, warning that continued anomalies would worsen the country’s fiscal position. He cited the Philippines’ national debt, which he estimated at P19 trillion, with annual debt servicing reaching P2 trillion.
He also questioned the government’s priorities, linking the alleged lack of action on corruption to political maneuvering ahead of the 2028 elections and ongoing political disputes, including impeachment efforts against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Singson said he would release additional evidence in future briefings but would focus for now on flood control projects to avoid confusing the public.
Response to Madriaga
Meanwhile, the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte has filed a reply affidavit to the counter-affidavit filed by a self-confessed security consultant who claimed to be her bagman.
Duterte filed the reply affidavit through her counsel, Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., at the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday.
In her affidavit, Duterte said that Ramil Madriaga’s counter-affidavit did not refute her earlier perjury complaint with “clear and credible evidence.” “Left with no other choice, Madriaga could only rely on blanket denials, non-sequiturs, irrelevant arguments, and further perjured testimony in a feeble attempt to salvage his crumbled testimony,” Duterte said.
Duterte also countered Madriaga’s claim that a Zoom meeting with members of her supporters was not proof that he had a familiar relationship with her.
“It was held on Jan. 12, 2022, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when virtual meetings with campaign supporters were the norm,” Duterte said.
She added that the presence of Jinggoy Estrada and Harry Roque at the meeting was understandable as they both ran as senators under the 2022 UniTeam ticket.
She said that Madriaga’s attempt to twist an ordinary Zoom call with campaign supporters into proof of insider status “only exposes him anew as the fraud that he is.”
