VICE President Sara Duterte has called for an investigation into massive corruption in government amid the administration’s crackdown on anomalous flood control projects.
In an interview in The Hague, Netherlands Wednesday, August 27, Duterte expressed doubt about the real intention of the government in launching a massive investigation into anomalous flood control projects across the country.
“Huwag tayo tumigil sa flood control projects dahil noong 2023–2024, noong 2024, last year, nagsabi na ako sa school building program pa lang ng Department of Education, pinaghati-hatian na ng members of the House of Representatives, pero walang nag-react. Hanggang ngayon, walang nagsasalita, walang nag-iimbestiga. Hindi lang naman flood control, e,” Duterte said.
(Let’s not stop at the flood control projects because in 2023–2024, last year, I already said that even the Department of Education’s school building program was being divided up among members of the House of Representatives, but no one reacted. Until now, no one is speaking up, no one is investigating. It’s not just about flood control.)
“Kung seryoso talaga ang administrasyon sa paghabol about sa corruption, tingnan nila ‘yung buong budget ng 2024 at ng 2025. At hindi lang ‘yan, huwag tayo tumigil diyan. Sagutin ‘yung mga blangko doon sa budget. Madami pa tayong questions. So, hindi lang flood control lahat,” she added.
(If the administration is really serious about going after corruption, they should examine the entire 2024 and 2025 budgets. And not only that, we should not stop there. They must also answer the blanks in the budget. We still have many questions. So it’s not just about flood control, it’s everything.)
Duterte said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (BBM) was aware of the questionable realignment of the DepEd budget but did not react.
“Diretso nilang kinuha ‘yung budget. Diretso nilang kinuha ang School Building Program, ang SBP, at pinaghati-hatian nila sa loob ng House of Representatives. Diniretso nilang in-attach ‘yung listahan nila doon sa GAA (General Appropriations Act) version, House version ng GAA, at inakyat nila sa Senate,” the Vice President said.
(They directly took the budget. They directly took the School Building Program, the SBP, and divided it among members of the House of Representatives. They then directly attached their list to the House version of the General Appropriations Act and submitted it to the Senate.)
“In fact, during the Senate hearing ng Department of Education, lumabas ‘yun at tinanong ‘yun ni Senator JV Estrada. Pero nung nagsabi kami, at alam ‘yun, alam ‘yun ni BBM, wala naman siyang reaction eh. So, kaduda-duda kung bakit bigla ngayon meron tayong investigation sa flood control projects. Kung seryoso talaga sila,” she added.
(In fact, during the Senate hearing on the Department of Education, that issue came out and Senator JV Estrada even raised it. But when we spoke about it, and BBM knew about it, he still had no reaction. So it is doubtful why suddenly there is now an investigation into the flood control projects, if they are really serious.)
Duterte, however, expressed full support for the ongoing crackdown on bogus flood control projects, which includes lifestyle checks on government officials.
Marcos earlier ordered an in-depth probe into anomalous flood control projects following massive floods caused by a series of weather disturbances that submerged communities and affected thousands of families across the country in recent months. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)