Most flood control projects, road and other infrastructure projects built in a province near the capital in the last six years were substandard or overpriced to compensate for huge kickbacks given to congressmen and senators, a televised Senate inquiry was told.
The allegation was made by two former government engineers who helped oversee the works since 2019 in Bulacan, one of the country’s most flood-prone provinces with more than 3.7 million people.
The sworn statements made by Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on Tuesday further deepen a corruption scandal involving mostly flood control projects which have sparked public outrage and protests in the capital region over the weekend.
Newly designated Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon separately yesterday said that an internal investigation found another 10 regional officials and engineers in his department who either have “lavish lifestyles beyond their means”, like travelling in private jets, or were implicated in infrastructure anomalies.
“The gravity of the problem is unthinkable,” Dizon said.
Under questioning by senators, Hernandez alleged that since 2019, infrastructure projects in Bulacan province have not been built according to approved specifications.
Cheaper and longer-drying cement and low-quality construction materials were used to cover kickbacks, usually about 20% of the project cost or higher, for corrupt legislators and officials, he claimed.
“Not one of the specifications in the plans was followed,” Hernandez said.
“All of those were not met.”
When asked by Sen Erwin Tulfo if Bulacan schools and hospitals could crumble in a strong earthquake because of the anomalies, Mendoza said government buildings were built in Bulacan based on approved specifications, but that construction costs were bloated to compensate for the kickbacks.
Manuel Bonoan, whose recent resignation as Public Works secretary was accepted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, told the inquiry he was unaware of the irregularities.
“This is the first time that I have heard about all these shenanigans,” Bonoan said when asked by senators to comment.
Hernandez and Mendoza have been dismissed from the Public Works Department’s district office in Bulacan after acknowledging their role in the anomalies.
Both have been accused of using huge kickbacks they pocketed to finance expensive lifestyles.
The pair are facing criminal complaints and have sought government protection in exchange for their disclosures against powerful legislators and politicians. — AP
