DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced on Thursday that 421 “ghost projects” have been identified out of 8,000 initially inspected flood control projects across the country.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon stated that the inspections were conducted over the past few weeks by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The initial findings were presented to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure on October 6.
Dizon revealed that the “ghost projects” were discovered in various areas across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with the majority located in Luzon.
He also noted that some of the projects were contracted by the same government contractors implicated in other anomalous flood control projects. ICI executive director Brian Hosaka said the information will guide the commission’s investigation into the alleged ghost projects.
Dizon emphasized that these validated “ghost projects” are “low hanging fruits” for prosecution, making it easier to establish liability and accountability.
