Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa vowed on Monday that the Senate inquiry on anomalous flood control projects would yield accountability and legislative action.
“Mayroong pupuntahan. Hindi puwedeng walang mangyari diyan … Mayroong mananagot, mayroong makakasuhan, at mayroon tayong legislation na mac-craft out of this Senate inquiry,” the senator said in an interview on Balansyado.
In relation to this, he expects newly seated Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon’s “full cooperation.” Dizon, after all, was reassigned from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to implement a “clean sweep” of the agency.
“Kung isipin mo, trillion na ‘yung halaga ng pera ng bayan na nasasayang doon sa, kung hindi man ‘ghost,’ very, very substandard flood control projects. Mayroon at mayroon ‘yan, hindi pupuwedeng walang mananagot diyan. With [the] assumption of the new secretary of DPWH, I hope and I expect full cooperation coming from him as the head of DPWH,” Dela Rosa stated.
Among the measures to be taken, the Senate will be revisiting the proposition to institute reforms in the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB), he said, to ensure that no ambiguities are abused.
Dela Rosa also vowed to file a bill seeking the death penalty not only for high-level drug traffickers, but also for corrupt officials, although he did admit it would likely prove difficult to pass.
“Dapat talaga para magkaroon tayo ng deterrence, pero ‘yun nga, ‘yung aking every year nalang na fina-file na panukalang batas na death penalty for high level drug traffickers lang ‘yun ah. Pag kasama doon ‘yung mga corrupt government officials, hirap na hirap makalusot, hindi nga tinatalakay sa committee level,” he said.
“Bukas, mag-file ako ng bill for corrupt government officials,” he promised.
Dela Rosa recalled being dismayed over the Commission on Audit’s (COA) inaction. According to the agency’s annual report, similar anomalies surfaced in 2023, yet they did not file charges.
“Kaya tinanong ko kung may nakasuhan na ba sila, wala pa silang nakakasuhan. Sinasabi ko, mandato ng Commission on Audit ‘yan, ‘yung pag-audit at pag-file ng appropriate case doon sa mga nakikita nilang talagang paglabag sa batas,” the senator recounted.
In addition, he backed the executive branch’s independent investigation on the flood control projects, anticipating collaboration between the probing body and the Senate.
“Maganda ‘yan para magkakaroon din ng parallel investigation sa itong ginagawa ng Senado … Maganda po ‘yan para magtutulungan ‘yung Senado tsaka ‘yung commission na ‘yan,” he told DZRH.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa also stressed that the move to investigate the flood control projects in Davao was a political one, especially since flooding is rampant in Luzon, not in Davao.
“Halata naman na ‘yung suhestyon na ‘yan, para malihis ‘yung investigation dito sa Luzon. Gustong Davao na naman, andito ang baha sa Luzon, tapos sa Davao ka mag-iimbestiga? Napakahalata na idadawit na naman ang mga Duterte,” he argued.
Earlier in the day, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee began its probe into the substandard and sham flood control projects. Among the resource persons were former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and several contractors such as Sarah Discaya of the Alpha and Omega General Contractor & Development Corp. and Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders.
