Statement of Sen. Bato dela Rosa on Flood Control Projects Probe in PH
BATO DELA ROSA – The Senator is ready to investigate the personalities under the Duterte administration amid the flood control projects issue in the Philippines now.
The Senate launched its own investigation on the alleged anomalous flood control projects funded by the Philippine government. The issue has left countless Filipinos dismayed over where billions of the public funds go. President Bongbong Marcos even ordered a “lifestyle check” among all government officials amid the issue.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos revealed that P545-billion was spent by the government for the flood control projects from the start of his term until May 2025. He called it an “enormous” amount and truth be told that several areas in the country remain to frequently experience flooding when heavy rain hits.
Marcos Jr. wants to make an independent committee that will investigate the flood control projects and other infrastructures funded by the government. In the Senate, the investigation is led by the Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.
Ahead of the start of the Senate flood probe, Marcoleta warned that the contractors should expose the public officials who are receiving money from them. The Senate invited the contractors that were flagged by Marcos Jr. to have received P100 billion from the country’s total spending on flood control deals.
Sarah Discaya is undeniably the most controversial and known among the contractors invited by the Senate. Even prior to the hearing, she hooked the spotlight and earned countless criticisms as her previous interviews with Julius Babao and Korina Sanchez resurfaced. She flaunted her lavish lifestyle including her luxury cars in the said interviews.
During the Senate hearing, Sarah Discaya who admitted to owning nine (9) construction companies was asked by Sen. Bato dela Rosa when her construction firms started getting government contracts. However, Dela Rosa was seemingly surprised when Discaya answered, “2016 onwards”.
It was also in 2016 when former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte started his presidential term. The known-Duterte ally Senator was seemingly left speechless for a few seconds and his reaction earned different reactions from the netizens online.
Recently, Sen. Bato dela Rosa aired a claim following his reaction that gathered countless comments. According to the Senator, he is willing to investigate even the personalities under the Duterte administration and even those during the term of the late former Sen. Noynoy Aquino.
“Pera ng taumbayan ‘yan. ‘Di porket panahon ni PRRD, i-exempt natin, ‘di pwede ‘yun… Kahit nung panahon pa ni PNoy,” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief turned Senator said.
The Senator is also in favor of placing the personalities and officials under investigation to be placed under the immigration lookout bulletin. Aside from the contractors, the Department of Public Works and Highways is also greatly criticized amid the flood control mess. Based on a report on Inquirer, DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon is given 7 days to work on the proposed budget of the agency following Marcos Jr.’s order for a “sweeping review”.
With regards to the independent commission that Pres. Bongbong Marcos wants to create for the investigation of the flood control projects, the President wants it to have a “subpoena power”.