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Ex-IBP president says flood mess players should face plunder, graft charges

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz86TOfDIfqXIe&amp;cid=ABgl0hGqg4gGEXbc"></script></div><p>Don’t be fooled by the ongoing drama in the congressional inquiries. It’s time for all those involved in anomalous flood control projects to face charges including plunder, a nonbailable crime with a sentence of life imprisonment, the ex-president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines said Wednesday.</p><p>Atty. Domingo Cayosa, ex-IBP head, said it is obvious that the whole truth about the flood control mess has not been told in the separate Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and House TriComm inquiries.</p><p>“Nakakalula at nakakalungkot ngunit maingat ang ating pagsusuri sa mga sinasabi ng mga tao at sa mga galaw ng mga mambabatas dahil obvious na hindi sinasabi ang lahat ng katotohanan at obvious din na ang ilang mambabatas ay nagkakagirian na,” he said in a DZMM interview.</p><p>Cayosa said there are enough documents to start filing charges against officials and individuals being linked to the flood control scheme including “all those who admitted guilt, all those responsible for ghost projects, all those who signed off including Commission on Audit officials who did nothing.”</p><p>“Pwede na silang kasuhan…Marami ng dokumento na nagpapatunay sa kawalanghiyaan nila, sa krimen nila,” he said.</p><p>“Wag tayong malula sa nangyayaring drama sa Senado at Kongreso dahil ‘yan po naman ay in aid of legislation lang. Mas importante dito pwede na kasuhan ng Department of Justice sa piskalya at sa korte.”</p><p>He said the President can start firing people through summary administrative proceedings even without a court decision “since you don’t need proof beyond reasonable doubt to do that.”</p><p>DPWH officials who allegedly pocketed millions of pesos in kickbacks and then lost them in casinos could face charges of unethical conduct while government auditors could also be fired for failing to do their jobs, he said.</p><p>Other individuals could face plunder charges because the amounts involved exceed P50 million while those who have lesser involvement in the scheme could face graft and corruption raps.</p><p>“Plunder ito. It is really a scheme. Marami silang gumagawa. Nonbailable ito. Sana bilis-bilisan ng DOJ ang pag-file ng kaso,” he said. </p><p>Even the Commission on Elections can also take action against officials who received multimillion-peso donations from government contractors. &quot;Hello, Comelec. Gawin niyo ang inyong trabaho. Wag lang press release,&quot; he noted. </p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman should also start investigating officials who have been named in the congressional inquiries. </p><p>The twin congressional inquiries have led to accusations that  17 congressman and 2 senators have been pocketing millions of pesos in kickbacks from flood control projects.</p><p>Former Bulacan First District Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez earlier <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-tags-estrada-villanueva-in-alleged-flood-control-anomalies-1055">accused</a> Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva of receiving kickbacks in flood control projects, adding that some DPWH engineers have become &quot;legmen&quot; or &quot;bagmen&quot; for politicians.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GReFwlYf_8c?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9GJpvbguYAY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Embattled contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya told senators that 17 lawmakers allegedly received kickbacks of up 10-25 percent of the total project’s cost.</p><p>The 17 are:</p><ul><li>Rep. Roman Romulo, Pasig City </li><li>Rep. Jojo Ang, Uswag Ilonggo Partylist</li><li>Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas, Quezon City</li><li>Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde, Quezon City </li><li>Rep. Nicanor “Nikki” Briones. AGAP Partylist </li><li>Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, Marikina City </li><li>Rep. Florida Robes, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan   </li><li>Rep. Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona, Romblon </li><li>Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr., Laguna </li><li>Rep. Florencio Gabriel “Bem” Noel, An Waray Partylist </li><li>Rep. Leody Tarriela, Occidental Mindoro </li><li>Rep. Reynante “Reynan” Arrogancia, Quezon Province </li><li>Rep. Marvin Rillo, Quezon City  </li><li>Rep. Teodorico Haresco, Aklan </li><li>Rep. Antonieta Eudela, Zamboanga Sibugay </li><li>Rep. Dean Asistio, Caloocan City </li><li>Rep. Marivic Co-Pilar, Quezon City</li><li><br/></li></ul><p>He also linked the following officials in the alleged scheme:</p><ul><li>Terrence Calatrava, Former Undersecretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas of the Philippines</li><li>Regional Director Eduarte Virgilio of DPWH Region V </li><li>Director Ramon A. Arriola III of Unified Project Management Offices (UPMO)</li><li>District Engineer Henry Alcantara of DPWH Bulacan 1st District </li><li>DPWH Undersecretary Robert Bernardo</li><li>District Engineer Aristotle Ramos of DPWH Metro Manila 1st</li><li>District Engineer Manny Bulusan of DPWH North Manila DEO</li><li>District Engineer Edgardo C. Pingol of DPWH Bulacan Sub-Deo</li><li>District Engineer Michael Rosaria of DPWH Quezon 2nd DEO</li></ul><div><br/></div><p>Officials and lawmakers named by the 2 resource persons have denied the charges. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/thv9zShRC3s?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Don’t be fooled by the ongoing drama in the congressional inquiries. It’s time for all those involved in anomalous flood control projects to face charges including plunder, a nonbailable crime with a sentence of life imprisonment.</p>

Don’t be fooled by the ongoing drama in the congressional inquiries. It’s time for all those involved in anomalous flood control projects to face charges including plunder, a nonbailable crime with a sentence of life imprisonment.

'Wag malula, plunder 'yan': Ex-IBP president says flood mess players should face charges

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'Wag malula, plunder 'yan': Ex-IBP president says flood mess players should face charges

David Dizon,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 10, 2025 09:39 AM PHT

Read More:

curlee discaya

brice hernandez

flood control

dpwh

domingo cayosa

plunder

graft

corruption

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