Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has slammed the flood control project scandal as an “inside job robbery” fueled by the greed of government officials.
Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probing the anomaly, said corrupt lawmakers and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH )officials abused taxpayers’ money, resulting in substandard or ghost projects that cost lives and livelihoods.
The inquiry has so far exposed cash deliveries to engineers, kickback schemes, and a so-called “leadership fund” allowing lawmakers to insert projects into the budget.
Congress itself is the “original sin” behind the scandal due to these insertions, the lawmaker said.
He vowed to pursue prosecution and jailing of those involved, adding that his office is sharing evidence with the DOJ and the proposed Independent Commission for Infrastructure to ensure accountability.IMT
