DOJ refers flood control probe findings to Ombudsman

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the result of its investigation on alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon and DOJ officer-in-charge Frederick Vida handed over to former Justice secretary now Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla the findings of their probe, which also includes the recommendation to file graft, malversation, perjury and falsification of public documents charges against Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office officials and contractors involved in five “ghost” flood control projects.

“Ang involved dito, since sila-sila lang naman ang umaaksyon dito sa mga projects, may control sa proseso ng proyektong ito, ay yung mga district officials. District engineers, assistant district engineers, project managers. Yun lamang po at kung sino mang contractor katuwang nila dito sa mga flood control projects,” Fadullon said.

(Those involved here — since they are the ones handling these projects and have control over the process — are the district officials: the district engineers, assistant district engineers, and project managers. That’s all, along with whichever contractor is working with them on these flood control projects.)

“It doesn’t mean that this ends here. There are more to come, but there is what we call a process that needs to be done wherein we make sure that there is evidence before filing a case,” he added.

Remulla said the subject officials and contractors also serve as resource persons in the Senate investigation on anomalous flood control projects.

“Ito lang kasi low-hanging fruit ito. We call these open-shut-cases. Kasi ghost eh, wala talagang nangyari, lumabas talaga ang pera, merong nakatanggap na pera at wala namang lumabas na project… pero marami pa ‘yan. Ito lang ay simula lang ng process,” he said.

(This one is considered a low-hanging fruit — what we call an open-and-shut case. It’s a ‘ghost’ project, meaning nothing was actually done. The money was released, someone received it, but no project came out of it… and there are still many more like this. This is just the beginning of the process.)

Remulla earlier urged the public to be patient amid the government’s probe on flood control projects, noting that adherence to the process is a must.

He made the call amid public outrage due to the matter, which triggered protests actions across the country. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)