Acting Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Frederick Vida told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday that only 14 out of the 421 flood control projects earlier flagged as “ghost projects” have so far been confirmed to be non-existent.
During the Senate inquiry, Vida said the DOJ is convinced that the 14 projects, which were taken from the initial list of 421 reported by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), were never implemented.
“14 na projects, kami [DOJ] ay kumbinsido na ghost projects ito ay hinugot sa unang listahan na 421,” Vida said during the Senate hearing.
“Doon sa iba po na 421 projects, hindi pa po kami kumbinsido na ghost projects sila at patuloy po kaming nagkakalap ng iba’t ibang ebidensya para masigurado siyang ghost project.”
According to the DOJ, two of the 14 confirmed ghost projects are already pending before the Sandiganbayan, while resolutions are being prepared for the remaining 12 cases, which will be forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Vida said contractors allegedly involved include Syms Construction Trading, Wawao Builders Construction, and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. These firms are among the top 15 flood control contractors currently under preliminary investigation for suspected ghost projects. The justice chief stressed that the DOJ is convinced the projects were not implemented and remain under preliminary investigation.
Vida also expressed optimism that arrest warrants against individuals involved in the confirmed ghost projects may soon be issued.
During the hearing, Senator Erwin Tulfo criticized what he described as the slow pace of the investigation into the anomalous flood control projects, especially given that only 14 have been confirmed out of the 421 suspected cases. Tulfo also pointed to what he called faulty validation by the DPWH regarding the original list of alleged ghost projects.
“Sa sobrang tagal nito…baka may mga maabswelto, magkaaregluhan dahil sa sobrang tagal,” Tulfo said. “Habang tumatagal po ito, magkakaroon ng ideya 'yung mga tao na baka may tinatakpan kayo sa sobrang tagal.”
Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who has been accused of deliberately submitting "incorrect grid coordinates" of flood control projects to Malacañang, described the report of 421 alleged ghost projects as “mind-boggling.”
He said the Commission on Audit (COA) should have flagged such irregularities earlier through its annual audit reports.
“When I learned about the report that there are actually 421 potential ghost projects, it was already mind-boggling information to me. I have never encountered anything like this involving flood control projects,” Bonoan said.
DPWH Undersecretary Arthur Bisnar admitted that the investigation had been misled due to wrong coordinates provided for the projects, prompting authorities to restart the validation process.
“Dahil po dito sa development na ito, na most likely maling location ang napuntahan nila, then we have to restart over,” Bisnar said.
