Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757386832427cropped-G0X1Ul9aMAAWslm.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declined to reveal to reporters here in Phnom Penh who will lead the powerful investigative panel on anomalous flood control projects. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (<strong>2nd UPDATE</strong>) – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he will announce the composition and powers of the &quot;independent commission&quot; set to investigate the flood control mess &quot;within 48 hours.&quot; </p><p>This, as the country grapples with the developments involving billions worth of misused public funds in the anomalous flood control projects. </p><p>Asked about his reaction to lawmakers supposedly linked to these projects, he said &quot;we cannot come into any conclusions now.&quot; </p><p>House Speaker Martin Romualdez – his cousin – was among those named in the anomalies, but the official already denied this. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/lawmakers-deny-discaya-corruption-claims-in-flood-control-mess-1217">READ: Romualdez, lawmakers deny &#x27;false, malicious&#x27; Discaya corruption claims</a></div><p>&quot;Wala pa ang investigative, independent commission. By tomorrow pwede na natin, or the day next after –within 48 hours I will already announce the powers that we are granting to the commission and the members,&quot; Marcos told reporters here in Phnom Penh. </p><p>He also emphasized that these revelations remain as allegations, which was why it was important that the panel investigate the root cause of the problem to remove the deep-seated corruption in the systems of government.</p><p>&quot;Kumbaga sa amag, napakalalim na sa sistema. The system of this corruption has been institutionalized, and if you&#x27;d look at the allegations that have been made, nagsimula sa 2003 pa ito, more than 21 years, that&#x27;s why it&#x27;s deep-seated in the system,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kailangan masalimuot at detalyado ang magiging imbestigasyon para makita sa independent commission. All of these allegations will be examined and that&#x27;s the job of the independent commission,&quot; he said. </p><p>The President said among the powers the commission might have include subpoena, to compel people to cooperate to the government probe.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-tags-estrada-villanueva-in-alleged-flood-control-anomalies-1055">READ: Ex-DPWH engineer tags Estrada, Villanueva in alleged flood control anomalies</a></div><p>&quot;Lagyan ng contempt powers to declare non-appearance, this is an investigative commission so they are not there to actually mete out punishment. They are there to find the facts,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;We will continue into all these inquiries – how did this happen? Kasi talagang dapat malaman kung paano tayo nagkaganito? How did we get to this point,&quot; he said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>GROUP ASKS PALACE TO PROBE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, a group urged the Malacañang and Department of Public Works and Highways to probe flood control projects in La Union, citing substandard materials. </p><p>In a statement, Progressive Youths of La Union said MG Samidan Construction and Development Corp. and 3 other firms have secured P9 billion worth of infrastructure around 10 towns in the province between 2022 and 2024. </p><p>Many of these were located in Agoo, Aringay, Bagulin, Bauang, Burgos, Caba, Naguilian, Pugo, Santo Tomas, and Tubao, according to the group.</p><p>Based on the Sumbong ng Pangulo website, MG Samidan alone has 3 projects in Aringay - which costs around P72 million. These were also supposedly completed in February 11, 2024.</p><p>ABS-CBN News earlier last month reported that MG Samidan only had a P250,000 paid up capital in 2019, but was already able to get P5 billion in flood mitigation deals in recent years. </p><p>Aside from this, the group said there were reportedly subcontractors that implemented the projects, expressing concern on the &quot;similarities&quot; of the project costs.</p><p>&quot;Noticeable in the flood control projects awarded to at least five construction firms is that the cost of the flood control projects is almost identical, including the date these projects were supposedly completed,&quot; the group said in a statement. </p><p>Because of this, the group baks on the creation of the Independent Commission, saying it must probe the information and those possibly involved in the project -- including those in power when these were implemented.</p><p>The group also pointed out conflict of interest, alleging some politicians in the province who were also suppliers of sand and gravel for the projects.</p><p>ABS-CBN News reached out to MG Samidan regarding the matter, but it has yet to respond to us as of this story&#x27;s posting. </p><p>Earlier this month, the President said that Malacanang was finalizing an executive order that would create an independent commission to investigate alleged flood control anomalies.</p><p>He said the panel — which could be composed of forensic investigators, lawyers, and justices — would recommend the filing of complaints to the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><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/3PSGgWMUGJQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declined to reveal yet who will lead the powerful investigative panel on anomalous flood control projects.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declined to reveal yet who will lead the powerful investigative panel on anomalous flood control projects.

Powers, members of investigative panel on flood control mess out soon: Marcos

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Powers, members of investigative panel on flood control mess out soon: Marcos

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 09, 2025 11:11 AM PHT

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Updated September 11, 2025 12:15 AM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr

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