San Fernando dares Marcos to unmask politicians in flood control scam

KAMANGGAGAWA Partylist Rep. Elijah “Eli” San Fernando today challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to name the politicians allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects amounting to hundreds of billions of pesos, warning that without names, accountability will remain an empty slogan.

“Sabi na ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos na kailangang may mapanagot. Mahiya naman daw itong mga sangkot dito sa flood control projects,” San Fernando said.

“Ngayon nagbanggit din siya ng mga top companies na nakakuha ng mga proyekto at marami rin ang nagsasabi na maraming sangkot daw na mga congressman. Now we want him to name names. Mahirap kasi na nagsasabi lang sila na may mga sangkot pero hindi naman pinapangalanan. Paano magkakaroon ng imbestigasyon at kalaunan, accountability, kung hindi natin alam kung sino ang tinutukoy?”

San Fernando said the President’s own admission that there were lapses in the program should be followed by concrete action, even if it means implicating political allies.

“Sabi nga ni PBBM, siya na mismo ang nakakita na palpak. It’s a good admission. The first step in resolving a problem is admitting that there is a problem. Now, pangalanan mismo ni PBBM yan kung sino yang mga yan, kahit pa kakampi o kaalyado niya. Otherwise it will just be another press release,” he said.

The partylist representative warned that the issue cannot be resolved through vague insinuations.

“May pinapasaringan na naman pero puro speculation. We cannot act on speculation,” San Fernando stressed. “Sino ba talaga yang mga sangkot na kongresista dito sa mga maanomalya ng flood control project? Kung hindi papangalanan, paulit-ulit lang ang drama. Sasabihin ng Pangulo na mahiya naman, pero sino ba yung gusto niyang mahiya? Sino ang pinoproteksyunan?”

According to San Fernando, the public deserves to know the identities of those behind what has become a multi-billion peso controversy.

“Bilyon-bilyong piso ang sangkot dito: P500 billion since 2022, kung saan P100 billion napunta lang sa ilang kumpanya at contractors. May sinasabi sila na may mga pulitiko sa likod nito. Sino ba ang mga ‘yan? Sabihin niyo na, huwag nang itago. Ang natatakot lang naman dito ay yung may tinatago,” he added.

The lawmaker also welcomed the participation of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who had earlier raised concerns about government project kickbacks.

“Welcome na welcome po na magsalita si Mayor Magalong para mag-shed light kung paano nagkakaroon ng tongpats, kickback, SOP. We also support the investigation being conducted by the Committee on Public Accounts into the flood control projects. And we leave it to the appropriate committee of the House kung paano ipapatawag si Mayor Magalong, pero welcome po yan,” San Fernando said.

San Fernando likewise backed calls for a third-party, independent investigation to avoid conflicts of interest.

“Kami po sa Kamanggagawa, we support that. Para naman po hindi masabing biased kung kami ang mag-iimbestiga sa aming sarili. For transparency and accountability, we are open to a third-party or independent body,” he said.

‘Open Bicam’ to stop budget ‘magic’

In the same media interview, San Fernando renewed his call to open bicameral conference committee meetings to the public, warning that the opaque process allows “hokus pokus” in the national budget.

“Alam niyo po kasi pagdating sa bicam, wala nang nakakakita diyan. Small group na lang yan at diyan nangyayari lahat ng magic insertion, milagro, at hokus pokus. Wala pong record, wala pong transparency. Kung pera ng taumbayan, pera ng mga manggagawa at ordinaryong Pilipino, dapat nakikita at napapanood mismo ng taumbayan kung paano binubuo ang budget,” he said.

San Fernando had earlier filed a House Resolution calling for an investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects, alongside a measure institutionalizing “open bicameral conference committee meetings” to prevent hidden insertions in the national budget.

He also noted that several other lawmakers filed to institutionalize an “Open Bicam,” with even House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressing support.

“Kami rin ho nag-file at in-adopt na ho ito ng House. We now await kung paano magiging operational ang open bicam,” he said.