THE Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Lakan Retirees Association Inc. (PLRAI) has thrown its support behind ongoing efforts to investigate massive corruption in government infrastructure programs, particularly the flood control projects that have recently come under fire.
In a manifesto titled “PNPA Lakan Retirees Manifesto of Support and Condemnation,” posted on the group’s Facebook page, they declared that they “can no longer remain silent” in the face of what it called the plunder of public funds and betrayal of public trust.
The retired officers, many of whom once held top posts in the police service, said ongoing Senate hearings and exposés revealed a conspiracy that drains resources meant for the welfare of Filipinos. They expressed support for Senator Panfilo Lacson, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s initiative to probe the anomalies, citing the President’s call to those behind the irregularities: “Mahiya Naman Kayo.”
The manifesto added: “Silence in the face of corruption is not an option,” quoting Edmund Burke’s adage that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing.
The statement comes as the Marcos administration intensifies scrutiny of the flood control program, which has drawn national outrage following revelations of alleged “ghost projects,” overpricing, and systemic kickbacks.
In August, the President disclosed that more than P545 billion had been spent on flood control since 2022, with thousands of projects now under question. An internal audit flagged at least 6,021 projects worth P350 billion that lacked clear documentation or verifiable information on what was being built.
Testimonies before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee further fueled the controversy. Contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya alleged that at least 17 members of the House of Representatives and several Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials demanded kickbacks of up to 25 percent of project values in exchange for contracts.
A former DPWH engineer also accused Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva of receiving a 30 percent cut from certain projects in Bulacan, an allegation both senators strongly denied.
In response to the scandal, President Marcos ordered the creation of an Independent Commission for Infrastructure to lead an impartial probe into the matter, while the DPWH temporarily suspended bidding for locally funded flood control projects pending results of the investigation. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have been conducting televised inquiries, raising the political cost of inaction.
National security, public safety concern
For the PNPA Lakan retirees, the issue is not just financial but one of national security and public safety. They stressed that corruption in flood control projects endangers lives, property, and the environment, especially in a country highly vulnerable to typhoons and heavy flooding.
“Their crimes are not only against the government but against the Filipino people and the future of our children,” the group said in its statement.
Signed by retired generals who once led key police units, the manifesto reinforces public calls for accountability and sends a signal that former men and women in uniform are ready to back reforms in governance. It underscores growing public impatience with entrenched corruption and the urgency for concrete results in the ongoing probes. DEF