September 2, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is ready to create an impartial physique that may examine anomalous flood management and different initiatives of the Division of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) throughout the nation, the construction of which remains to be being finalized.
This comes after Marcos accepted the resignation of Manuel Bonoan as DPWH chief over the weekend.
“We’re placing collectively the EO (government order) that may create the impartial fee,” Marcos stated after attending an occasion in Pasay Metropolis yesterday.
“It is determined by the way it’s structured. Will or not it’s composed of 5 members, seven members? Who will head, chair it? All of these issues. So, we haven’t put the construction collectively but. However the names I believe I imply it,” Marcos stated in blended English and Filipino when requested who will head the fee. He didn’t elaborate.
Nonetheless, he revealed that the panel will embody forensic investigators, legal professionals, justices and prosecutors.
It’s tasked to give you a suggestion to the ombudsman or Division of Justice on the authorized actions to be taken in opposition to people liable for the questionable initiatives based mostly on the proof and the knowledge acquired by the federal government, he added.
“They are going to advocate to the Government what to do with sure events who’ve been discovered to be a part of all this corruption that has been occurring, not solely in flood management. The entire workings inside DPWH,” the Chief Government stated.
“(The physique) will take a look at the proof and take a look at the knowledge that we now have and they’re going to put collectively that info and make the advice to both DOJ or the ombudsman, relying on who’s discovered to be accountable for a few of these nefarious actions,” he stated.
Marcos stated increasingly irregularities are being uncovered in the midst of the investigation, therefore the necessity for intensified efforts to wash up the DPWH.
“As a result of sadly, the extra we glance, the extra we discover. Even within the 2026 funds, there have been nonetheless a variety of insertions. So, it actually must be cleaned out correctly,” the President stated, with out elaborating.
Home Deputy Speaker and Antipolo Metropolis 1st district Rep. Ronaldo Puno earlier claimed the proposed 2026 Nationwide Expenditure Program consists of proposed funding for infrastructure initiatives which have already been accomplished.
Marcos has accepted the resignation of Bonoan and named transportation secretary Vince Dizon as his substitute. Marcos stated Bonoan took command accountability for the anomalous flood management initiatives.
Dizon mentioned the President’s directives on Monday, hours after taking his oath as DPWH chief at Malacañang.
Dizon stated he welcomed the choice of the President to create an impartial physique to look into the supposed ghost flood management initiatives, saying “the President is severe to carry these folks accountable.”
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro stated the President stated that members of the panel are “impartial” and wouldn’t simply interact in politicking.
Requested whether or not Bonoan might additionally face investigation even after he resigned from his submit, Dizon stated “the impartial fee will examine everyone.”
“So that’s the order of the President. I imply…the folks deserve accountability, that’s what the President stated,” Dizon famous.
Labor group Federation of Filipino Staff (FFW) welcomed Marcos’ impartial physique and expressed help for Dizon as the brand new DPWH chief.
“He’s an motion man and brings recent air to the DPWH. FFW helps his reform initiatives and hopes these will restore integrity and effectivity in public works,” FFW president Sonny Matula stated.
COA audit
On the similar time, Fee on Audit Chairman Gamaliel Cordoba has directed state auditors beneath the COA’s Efficiency Audit Workplace to prioritize the audit of the federal government’s flood management initiatives.
Cordoba earlier directed the COA’s Technical Companies Workplace to conduct technical inspections of all ongoing and accomplished flood management initiatives in Bulacan carried out from Jan. 1, 2022 to July 31, 2025.
It was earlier revealed that almost all of the ghosts and substandard flood management initiatives had been in Bulacan.
In the meantime, on the Senate Blue Ribbon committee listening to yesterday, supervising auditor Tracy Ann Sunico stated the COA is already finalizing “audit highlights” in reference to the fraud audits earlier performed by state auditors on flood management initiatives beneath the DPWH.
Sunico stated the spotlight report will include key findings, together with the character of the fraud schemes, the proof gathered and a number of other administration officers and authorities contractors who must be held liable.
Sunico stated the audit groups assigned within the DPWH have already issued Notices of Disallowance (ND) on a number of flood management initiatives on the grounds of technical deficiencies noticed by the audit groups and absence or non-submission of disbursement vouchers.
Issuance of an ND legally compels those that will likely be discovered liable to return the disallowed quantity of disbursed authorities funds.
Sunico stated authorities officers liable for the non-submission of disbursement vouchers and different accounts may additionally be held administratively liable.
Requested by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa on when the COA might presumably file costs in opposition to people who will likely be discovered liable within the audits, Sunico stated “this month.”
Sunico stated that based mostly on the audits, individuals that may be held liable are “administration officers of the DPWH in addition to the contractors.”
The Blue Ribbon committee, upon the movement of Sen. Joel Villanueva, dominated to subpoena the COA’s audit spotlight report upon its completion. — Elizabeth Marcelo, Mayen Jaymalin
