Flood mess case steps up; raps filed vs 7 lawmakers
Seven more lawmakers from the House of Representatives, apart from fugitive and resigned Rep. Zaldy Co, are facing cases of plunder, graft, bribery, and conflict of interest at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Co, former Ako Bicol representative, has been named in connection with the firm FS Co Builders Supply. He was also earlier charged in connection with a flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
“These so-called ‘cong-tractors’ (a portmanteau of congressman and contractor) are those members of Congress or their partners or family members who own construction firms that receive project awards or obtain contracts from the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Chair Andres Reyes Jr. said on Wednesday.
He noted that the eight officials “appeared to have violated the Code of Conduct for Government Officials and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, among others.”
The other lawmakers and their related firms implicated in the latest ICI-DPWH recommendation to the Ombudsman are:
• Construction Workers Solidarity Rep. Edwin Gardiola (Newington Builders Inc. or formerly Gardiola Construction, Lourel Development Corp., and S-Ang General Construction and Trading Inc.)
• Uswag Ilonggo Rep. James Ang Jr. (IBC International Builders Corp. and Allencon Development Corp.)
• Pusong Pinoy Rep. Jernie Nisay (JVN Construction and Trading)
• Bulacan Rep. Augustina Pancho (C.M. Pancho Construction Inc.)
• Cagayan Rep. Joseph Lara (JLL Pulsar Construction Corp.)
• Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas (Boometrix Development Corp.)
• Tarlac Rep. Noel Rivera (Tarlac 3-G Construction and Development Corp.)
The President announced in a video message earlier on Wednesday that the ICI and the DPWH were to jointly submit evidence to the Ombudsman needed to pursue the criminal charges against the lawmakers.
The cong-tractors, the ICI noted, bagged a total of 1,301 public work projects worth P92.28 billion from 2016 to 2024, or since President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
The nine-page document addressed to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla gave a breakdown of the infrastructure projects that went to the flagged construction firms.
Co, through FS Co Builders and Supply, won 40 projects worth P3.83 billion from 2020 to 2024.
A chunk of these, however, were joint ventures with Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corp., another firm linked to Co and his brother Christopher.
Gardiola was linked to the companies whose officers and stockholders were his immediate family.
His wife Judy is the chair of S-Ang, his four children were directors and stockholders of the same firm, while his brother Elmer is the vice president and treasurer of Newington, and his other brother Earel is a major stockholder of Lourel.
A total of 211 projects worth P24.6 billion were cornered by the three Gardiola-linked firms.
Ang was linked to IBC and Allencon because his uncle, Alfonso Tan, is the chair for both companies, which got 597 projects worth P40.4 billion from 2016 to 2024.
Nisay was listed as a sole proprietor of JVN Construction and his firm bagged three projects totaling P73.8 million from 2021 to 2022.
Relatives of Pancho served as stockholders of C.M. Pancho, which got a single project worth P1.23 billion in 2021.
Four of the stockholders of JLL Pulsar are children of Lara and a total of 241 projects went to the firm from 2016 to 2024 with a total contract value of P11.08 billion.
Matugas was linked to Boometrix, whose major stockholder is his nephew Ronald, after getting a total of 125 projects worth P8.74 billion from 2017 to 2024.
Lastly, Rivera is the majority stockholder of Tarlac 3-G, which cornered 72 projects worth P2.3 billion from 2017 to 2024.
Conflict of interest
“These congressmen should not be engaging in private business activities that conflict with their official duties. They should not influence bids and awards. Members of Congress must not sway procurement processes, nor should they participate in or benefit from government contracts,” Reyes said in a press briefing before submitting the joint referral report to the graft prosecutor.
The “culture of contracting” among legislators must end, Reyes stressed, noting that more names would be implicated in the coming weeks. “This practice should have ended decades ago… Let us tear down this abusive system, one by one, with every filing.”
In a statement sent to the media, Ang said he was ready to face any case against him, claiming he has “never used my position in the government for my own interest and to profit in any way.”
Lara said the ICI’s recommendation is a welcome development because it is a chance to clarify his alleged links to JLL Pulsar Construction.
He said he no longer has any connection with JLL Pulsar before he entered politics, adding that the company did not join biddings for the third district of Cagayan.
The other lawmakers implicated in the latest ICI filing have yet to issue their comments.
Travel ban
Ombudsman Remulla also disclosed on Wednesday that he has requested the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to issue foreign travel restriction orders on 77 government officials and employees as well as lawmakers covered by his office’s ongoing fact-finding investigation for their alleged links to the flood control fiasco.
He did not name the 77 individuals to the media, saying such disclosure should be up to the BI.
Due to the high number of incumbent lawmakers connected to the scheme, Remulla said he will have to bring up the matter to House Speaker Faustino Dy III.
“I will have to talk to the Speaker. Congress will be disrupted because these cases will hurt a lot, many will get hurt,” Remulla pointed out. “More than 10 percent of Congress will be affected, at the very least. It’s no joke that more than 10 percent of them are part of the investigation.”
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group announced the arrest of engineer Montrexis Tamayo, officer in charge of the DPWH Mimaropa planning and design division, who is accused of graft and malversation over an anomalous Oriental Mindoro flood control project.
He was arrested upon his arrival from Dubai at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 25, the police report noted. —WITH REPORTS FROM DEXTER CABALZA, GABRIEL PABICO LALU, FAITH ARGOSINO, JASON SIGALES AND INQUIRER RESEARCH
