For Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, the flood control project scandal is more than a case of corruption – it is a greed-fueled “inside job robbery” against the Filipino people.
Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee looking into the scandal, said the extent of corruption uncovered so far shows the uncontrollable lust for wealth by those involved.
“With all that has been exposed so far by our Senate inquiry, even my ‘corruptionary’ won’t have the words for the insatiable greed of those government officials involved in what I can only describe as an ‘inside job robbery’ committed against the People of the Philippines,” he said in a post on X Wednesday night, the eve of the panel’s next hearing.
In Filipino: ‘Inside Job Robbery’ Laban sa Sambayanang Pilipino
Making matters even worse is that those behind this robbery are the very officials entrusted with taxpayers’ money while the anomalous projects cost ordinary Filipinos their lives, livelihood and property, he added.
Last August, Lacson drew up a “CORRUPTionary” or collection of terms used to describe the methods used by corrupt lawmakers and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials behind substandard or ghost flood control projects.
Since then, the investigation into the scandal by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee alone revealed huge cash deliveries by contractors to corrupt DPWH engineers, requirement schemes by junior personnel, and even a “leadership fund” that lets lawmakers insert projects in the National Expenditure Program, among other corruption-fueled practices.
These have prompted Lacson to tag Congress as the “original sin” behind the scandal, saying that without insertions made by greedy lawmakers, the DPWH would not have huge funds to play with.
Lacson has pushed for the logical conclusion to the scandal, meaning the prosecution, conviction and jailing of those involved. He has also supported the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and prosecuting agencies like the Department of Justice by sharing with them the evidence gathered by him and his staff, as well as during the Blue Ribbon panel probes.
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‘Inside Job Robbery’ Laban sa Sambayanang Pilipino
Para kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, ang iskandalo sa flood control projects ay higit pa sa kaso ng korapsyon—ito ay isang “inside job robbery” na pinapakilos ng kasakiman laban sa sambayanan.
Ayon kay Lacson, na namumuno sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na nagsisiyasat sa iskandalo, ipinapakita ng lawak ng korapsyong nabunyag ang walang kontrol na kasakiman sa yaman ng mga sangkot dito.
“With all that has been exposed so far by our Senate inquiry, even my ‘corruptionary’ won’t have the words for the insatiable greed of those government officials involved in what I can only describe as an ‘inside job robbery’ committed against the People of the Philippines,” ani Lacson sa isang post sa X nitong Miyerkules ng gabi, sa bisperas ng susunod na pagdinig ng komite.
Dagdag niya, lalo itong nakababahala dahil mismong ang mga opisyal na pinagkatiwalaan ng pera ng taumbayan ang nasa likod ng pandarambong na ito – habang ang karaniwang Pilipino ang nawawalan ng buhay at kabuhayan dahil sa palpak o guniguning proyekto.
Noong Agosto, inilabas ni Lacson ang isang “CORRUPTionary” o kalipunan ng mga terminong ginagamit para ilarawan ang mga pamamaraan ng katiwalian ng ilang mambabatas at opisyal ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sa likod ng mga palpak o guniguning flood control projects.
Mula noon, natuklasan sa imbestigasyon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ang malalaking cash deliveries ng mga contractor sa mga tiwaling inhenyero ng DPWH, mga “hanapbuhay” ng junior personnel hinggil sa requirements, at maging ang isang “leadership fund” na nagpapahintulot sa ilang mambabatas na magpasok ng proyekto sa National Expenditure Program—bukod pa sa iba pang gawain na pinapakilos ng korapsyon.
Dahil dito, tinukoy ni Lacson ang Kongreso bilang “original sin” sa likod ng iskandalo, aniya, kung walang insertions ng mga sakim na mambabatas, hindi magkakaroon ng napakalaking pondong napaglalaruan sa DPWH.
Itinutulak ni Lacson na ang “logical conclusion” sa iskandalong ito ay dapat mauwi sa prosecution, conviction at pagkakakulong ng mga sangkot. Suportado rin niya ang Independent Commission for Infrastructure at mga ahensyang may mandato sa pagsasakdal tulad ng Department of Justice, sa pamamagitan ng pagbabahagi ng ebidensyang nakalap ng kanyang opisina at ng Blue Ribbon panel.
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