Rowegie Abanto

DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. The hearing was also attended by officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways led by Sec. Vince Dizon, along with representatives of contractors implicated in alleged ghost and substandard projects nationwide. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News-CBN News

DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. The hearing was also attended by officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways led by Sec. Vince Dizon, along with representatives of contractors implicated in alleged ghost and substandard projects nationwide.
Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News-CBN News

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

ABS-CBN News

<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/jCcSFuu3CtE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Senate&#x27;s investigating panel on Tuesday launched its fifth hearing into the massive fraud involving flood control and other infrastructure projects in the wake of the biggest anti-corruption demonstrations yet under the Marcos government. </p><p>On Sunday, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/21/thousands-take-to-streets-as-filipinos-protest-flood-control-fraud-2307">thousands of Filipinos filled the streets nationwide</a>, demanding jail time for <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/21/winnie-monsod-politicians-should-be-focus-of-tragedy-of-flood-control-corruption-1137?fbclid=IwY2xjawM8VPhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn3GhgCD_ojouIPC9t0X0sK3_jG-4gxKwOWOPJLtXZ34BGnB8vBeUucj67H4_aem_vxt-o8ToawGSWPVlw8LwHw">corrupt politicians</a> and the recovery of stolen taxpayers&#x27; money.</p><p>But as public anger <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/1-male-protester-dies-from-stabbing-1-injured-during-mendiola-protest-0921">intensified</a>, efforts to hold individuals accountable hit a stumbling block. </p><p>The Independent Commission for Infrastructure <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/ici-condemns-reported-destruction-tampering-of-flood-control-documents-1521">sounded the alarm</a> Monday about the reported &quot;widespread destruction and tampering&quot; of official documents related to the flood control corruption scandal, warning that individuals engaged in such moves could face administrative and criminal charges.</p><p>The commission called on public works employees to cooperate and preserve the integrity of documents and evidence under their custody.</p><p>Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Monday that formal charges and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgMMNe924z4">90-day preventive suspension</a> had been issued against Baguio District Engineer Rene Zarate over alleged destruction or tampering of documents in relation to the flood control corruption probe.</p><p>Also on Monday, Brice Hernandez was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/lacson-to-cancel-brice-hernandez-s-legislative-immunity-if-he-does-not-surrender-computer-1635">suddenly unwilling to surrender his computer</a> which could contain evidence in the controversy, said Sen. Panfilo &quot;Ping&quot; Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.</p><p>Hernandez is the former public works assistant district engineer who accused <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GReFwlYf_8c">Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva</a> of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects — an allegation they denied.</p><p>Lacson stressed the need to preserve the integrity of the evidence from Hernandez &quot;by preserving the chain of custody&quot; because it could face a &quot;technical knockout&quot; before the courts, &quot;if ever it gets there.&quot;</p><p>Meanwhile, Lacson said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is willing to deliver information to the independent commission to help its investigation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/estrada-says-no-evidence-linking-him-to-anomalous-flood-control-projects-1145">Estrada says no evidence linking him to anomalous flood control projects</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/22/sotto-lacson-brief-ici-on-budget-procedures-insertions-1310">Sotto, Lacson brief ICI on budget procedures, insertions</a></div><p>House Speaker Faustino &quot;Bojie&quot; Dy III on Monday also said it would be better to just turn over the evidence they gathered to the independent commission, citing public doubts in their own inquiry.</p><p>Many are uneasy about the flood control investigations of the House of Representatives and the Senate because some lawmakers themselves have been implicated in the scandal.</p><p>Several House members, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, were accused of involvement in the flood control anomalies, which they denied.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/lawmakers-deny-discaya-corruption-claims-in-flood-control-mess-1217">Romualdez, lawmakers deny &#x27;false, malicious&#x27; Discaya corruption claims</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/15/marcos-romualdez-allies-will-not-be-spared-in-independent-probe-on-flood-control-projects-1039">Marcos: Romualdez, allies ‘will not be spared’ in independent probe on flood control projects</a></div><div><strong>— Reports from Vivienne Gulla, Victoria Tulad, and Andrea Taguines, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><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/8ngCFDi9y84?&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/KVbhhZS4wcA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Senate's investigating panel on Tuesday launched its fifth hearing into the massive fraud involving flood control and other infrastructure projects as authorities raced to preserve evidence in the scandal.</p>

The Senate's investigating panel on Tuesday launched its fifth hearing into the massive fraud involving flood control and other infrastructure projects as authorities raced to preserve evidence in the scandal.

Senate conducts fifth flood control hearing as authorities race to preserve corruption evidence

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Senate conducts fifth flood control hearing as authorities race to preserve corruption evidence

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 23, 2025 09:00 AM PHT

Read More:

Senate Hearing

Flood Control

Panfilo Lacson

Brice Hernandez

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

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