Sayang.
This was how Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson expressed his dismay with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan for insisting that the extent of corruption involving flood control projects in Bulacan is an “isolated case.”
Lacson said that while he did not hear past or present DPWH officials speak ill of Bonoan, Bonoan’s “isolated case” claim indicate he is not a good or effective leader.
“In my talks with some DPWH officials, both past and present, I didn’t hear any scathingly bad words about Sec Bonoan. But for him to claim that Bulacan is an isolated case, he doesn’t strike me as a good, effective leader of his department. Sayang,” he said on X.
In Filipino: ‘Sayang’: Lacson, Nadismaya kay DPWH Sec. Bonoan sa Pagsasabing ‘Isolated Case’ ang Katiwalian sa Bulacan
Lacson debunked a claim by Bonoan that there is no ghost project in Sitio Dike in Barangay Apitong, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Bonoan said in a television interview that the project is supposedly in Barangay Apitong, and that there may have been “miscommunication” regarding locations.
According to Lacson, he based his information on the Sitio Dike ghost project – which he mentioned in his privilege speech last Aug. 20 – on documents from the DPWH website itself, as well as from the grid coordinates from the Sumbong sa Pangulo website.
The DPWH website information showed that the “Flood management program-construction/maintenance of flood mitigation structures and drainage systems – Construction of road dike along Mag-Asawang Tubig River, Sitio Dike, BRgy. Apitong Section, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro” – an item funded under the 2024 General Appropriations Act – was awarded to Elite General Contractor and Development Corp. for P192,996,270, and was listed as “Completed” as of March 2025.
“We culled the information from the DPWH, which indicated the supposed project was ‘completed,'” Lacson noted, adding the contract was worth P192.99 million. Lacson’s staff learned from local barangay officials that there was no such project when they went there to verify.
“Eksakto ang lokasyon na aming pinuntahan sapagkat consistent din ito sa lokasyon na nakalathala sa DPWH, at sa exact coordinates sa ‘Sumbong sa Pangulo’ website. Guni-guni o guni-guni? (My staff went to the exact location indicated in the DPWH website and the coordinates in the Sumbong sa Pangulo website. So is it a ghost project or is it a ghost project)?” he had said in his privilege speech.
Also last week, Lacson similarly demolished Bonoan’s claim that the failed and ghost flood control projects in Bulacan’s first engineering district were an isolated case.
In his privilege speech last Aug. 20, Lacson outlined the corruption behind corrupted flood control projects not just in Bulacan but also in other provinces such as Pampanga, La Union and Oriental Mindoro.
“When you say it is an isolated case, it sounds like a defense mechanism. It suggests you don’t intend to conduct a full-scale and comprehensive investigation. And I expected that, so I had my teams check projects in other areas,” Lacson said.
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‘Sayang’: Lacson, Nadismaya kay DPWH Sec. Bonoan sa Pagsasabing ‘Isolated Case’ ang Katiwalian sa Bulacan
Sayang.
Nadismaya si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson kay Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan sa kanyang pagpilit na “isolated case” ang katiwalian kaugnay ng mga flood control project sa Bulacan.
Ayon kay Lacson, kahit wala siyang narinig na masasamang salita laban kay Bonoan mula sa mga nakaraang at kasalukuyang opisyal ng DPWH, ipinapakita ng pahayag ni Bonoan na hindi ito maituturing na mabuti o epektibong pinuno.
“In my talks with some DPWH officials, both past and present, I didn’t hear any scathingly bad words about Sec Bonoan. But for him to claim that Bulacan is an isolated case, he doesn’t strike me as a good, effective leader of his department. Sayang,” ani Lacson sa X.
Winasak ni Lacson ang sinabi ni Bonoan na walang ghost project sa Sitio Dike sa Barangay Apitong, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Sa panayam sa telebisyon, sinabi ni Bonoan na ang proyekto ay nasa Barangay Apitong, at may “miscommunication” lamang tungkol sa lokasyon ng proyekto.
Nguni’t ipinunto ni Lacson na binase niya ang kanyang impormasyon sa ghost project sa Sitio Dike – na binanggit niya sa privilege speech niya noong Agosto 20 – sa dokumento mula sa mismong website ng DPWH, at sa grid coordinates ng Sumbong sa Pangulo website.
Ayon sa impormasyon sa DPWH website, ang “Flood management program-construction/maintenance of flood mitigation structures and drainage systems – Construction of road dike along Mag-Asawang Tubig River, Sitio Dike, BRgy. Apitong Section, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro” – na pinondohan sa 2024 General Appropriations Act – ay na-award sa Elite General Contractor and Development Corp. sa halagang P192,996,270, at inilista na “Completed” noong Marso 2025.
“We culled the information from the DPWH, which indicated the supposed project was ‘completed,'” ani Lacson. Dagdag niya, ang kontrata ay may halagang P192.99 milyon. Nalaman ng staff ni Lacson sa mga opisyal ng barangay doon na walang ganoong proyekto nang nagtungo sila doon para beripikahin ang proyekto.
“Eksakto ang lokasyon na aming pinuntahan sapagkat consistent din ito sa lokasyon na nakalathala sa DPWH, at sa exact coordinates sa ‘Sumbong sa Pangulo’ website. Guni-guni o guni-guni?” ani Lacson tungkol sa proyekto sa Sitio Dike, sa kanyang privilege speech noong Agosto 20.
Noong nakaraang linggo, pinasinungalingan din ni Lacson ang pahayag ni Bonoan na ang mga palpak at ghost flood control projects sa unang engineering district ng Bulacan ay isang “isolated case.”
Sa kanyang privilege speech, inilahad ni Lacson ang katiwalian sa likod ng mga flood control project na hindi lamang sa Bulacan kundi maging sa iba pang mga lalawigan tulad ng Pampanga, La Union, at Oriental Mindoro.
“When you say it is an isolated case, it sounds like a defense mechanism. It suggests you don’t intend to conduct a full-scale and comprehensive investigation. And I expected that, so I had my teams check projects in other areas,” ani Lacson.
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