Cayetano slams inaction on flood control corruption probe

SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has expressed frustration over the continued inaction in the investigation of alleged corruption in flood control projects – three months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued a stern warning to erring officials.

“Sa October 25, third month na ng speech (State of the Nation Address) ng Pangulo na ‘Mahiya naman kayo’. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, n’ung last week ng August, nag-resign na rin si Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan. Magaling si (current Public Works) Secretary Vince Dizon. May integrity at mabilis kumilos. But still, isang buwan na, (wala pang naging accountable),” the senator lamented in a radio interview on October 8, 2025.

He stressed the urgency of releasing a verified list of fully paid but non-existent or “ghost” flood control projects.

“Listahan lang kung ano y’ung ghost o hindi (ang kailangan), tapos maririnig mo ang balita na sinusunog o tinatapon, o iba na y’ung mga dokumento. Eh baka ang iba diyan na ghost ay hindi na ghost (projects)? May nabalitaan tayo na may isang project pero kung kailan pa na ginawa. Ang problema, hindi pa pina-publish ngayon, whether iyon ay bayad na o hindi pa,” he said.

Cayetano challenged the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to begin publishing records of completed and paid projects, starting with the most recent years.

“Ako simple lang, COA at DPWH, mag-publish kayo ngayon ng lahat ng bayad (na proyekto). Simulan niyo sa 2025. Ang problema napupulitika kasi gusto simulan ng 2016… Hindi tayo matatapos noon. First things first muna – 2024 at 2025 kasi iyon ang pinaka-recent. Kapag iyan nilabas agad ang pondo at ghost projects, huli agad iyan. Kakanta na agad iyan,” the senator explained.

Cayetano also emphasized the value of identifying the mastermind behind the corruption, likening the system to a beehive.

“Hindi ito palakihan ng isda eh. Parang beehive ito. Kailangan kunin ang queen bee, manganganak at manganganak lang iyan. Syempre ang temptation is senador (ang idawit) kasi mataas iyan, pero mastermind ba iyan? You get the masterminds kasi iyan ang mga queen bee,” he said.

The senator also slammed the lack of a clear investigative framework, saying debates over potential witnesses are premature without a working theory.

“Away na ng away sino ang pwedeng state witness, eh wala pang working theory. Paano malalaman kung sino ang most guilty and least guilty kung hindi mo pa alam ano ang sistema? Kasi may normal na korapsyon dito, at may isinama dito sa bagong sistema. Ginugulo na,” he said.

The Minority Leader then urged authorities to act decisively to restore public trust.

“Ang kalaban natin ngayon ay fear — fear na baka walang mahuli, na lalong grumabe ito, na mamundok mga anak natin kasi wala namang nangyayari. Kalaban natin ay galit ng tao. Pero ang pinakamalaking kalaban natin dito ay kawalan ng tiwala ng tao,” he rued. “Puhunan natin ang tiwala ng tao.”