Cayetano questions lack of preventive suspension of DPWH execs over 'ghost' flood-control projects
August 19, 2025
Cayetano questions lack of preventive suspension of DPWH execs over 'ghost' flood-control projects
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday pressed for answers on why Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials have not been preventively suspended over alleged "ghost" flood-control projects, saying a simple paper trail should be enough to pin down those involved.
"Bakit mukhang exempted ang DPWH sa preventive suspension?" Cayetano asked at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, recalling that he had raised the same question when probing the collapsed bridge in Isabela, also built by the agency.
"Kung merong nagtatakip sa ghost projects pero hindi siya preventively suspended, then he or she will have time [to cover up their tracks]," he added.
Cayetano, who serves as senior vice chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, noted that DPWH rules already require documentation at every stage of construction.
"All you have to do is tell them (contractors), 'Nasaan y'ung report? At kunan niyo ng picture [ang project],'" he told DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who was present at the hearing.
"May paper trail at may technology to deal with that. So kung tinanggal y'ung requirement na y'on, alam na nating may binabalak [na hindi maganda]," he continued.
Cayetano pointed out that quality assurance units exist in every district and regional office, which means completion reports go all the way up to the DPWH Undersecretaries.
He urged the agency to clarify how far up the DPWH chain of command the physical verification of projects goes, saying this is key to identifying who should be held accountable.
"If the district engineer or the regional office reports that it's finished, 'pag nag-report siya sa Assistant Secretary, titingnan ba ng ASec y'un?" he asked Bonoan.
"Y'un y'ung gusto naming ma-clarify para alam namin sino ipatatawag namin," he added.
With three weeks already passing since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flagged "ghost projects" in his State of the Nation Address, Cayetano said the DPWH can no longer afford to delay action.
"Presidente na ang nagsabi, and kayo na ang nagsabi, na mukhang may ghost projects. So paki-check niyo y'un," he said.
Cayetano pinuna ang kawalan ng suspension ng DPWH officials na sangkot sa 'ghost' flood-control projects
Kinuwestiyon ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Martes kung bakit walang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials ang preventively suspended sa kabila ng mga alegasyon ng "ghost" flood-control projects.
Diin ni Cayetano sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee, simpleng paper trail ay sapat na para matukoy kung sino ang mga dapat managot.
"Bakit mukhang exempted ang DPWH sa preventive suspension?" puna ng senior vice chair ng komite, na tila pag-uulit aniya ng kawalan ng aksyon ng ahensya matapos bumagsak noon ang tulay sa Isabela.
"Kung merong nagtatakip sa ghost projects pero hindi siya preventively suspended, then he/she will have time to cover up their tracks," dagdag niya.
Punto ni Cayetano, may patakaran ang DPWH na dapat magsumite ng dokumentasyon at larawan ang contractor sa bawat yugto ng konstruksyon ng anumang proyekto.
"All you have to do is tell them (contractors), 'Nasaan y'ung report? At kunan niyo ng picture [ang project],'" aniya.
"May paper trail at may technology to deal with that. So kung tinanggal y'ung requirement na 'yon, alam na nating may binabalak [na hindi maganda]," aniya kay DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan na dumalo sa pagdinig.
Dahil may quality assurance unit aniya sa bawat district at regional office ng DPWH, ibig sabihin, hanggang sa opisina ng Undersecretary ay nakakaabot ang completion reports.
Para matukoy ang lahat ng may kinalaman sa ghost projects, hinimok niya ang DPWH na linawin kung hanggang saan sa chain of command ang pisikal na nagve-verify ng completion reports.
"If the district engineer or the regional office reports that it's finished, 'pag nag-report siya sa Assistant Secretary, titingnan ba ng ASec y'un?" tanong ni Cayetano.
"Y'un y'ung gusto naming ma-clarify para alam namin sino ipatatawag namin," aniya.
Diin pa niya, tatlong linggo na mula nang ibunyag ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang ghost projects sa kanyang State of the Nation Address, kaya hindi na pwedeng magpatumpik-tumpik pa ang DPWH.
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