Tag: Brice Hernandez

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Lacson: Flood Control Master Plan Must Survive Changes in Administration

Any flood control master plan being crafted must not only be technically comprehensive but also be designed to span multiple administrations, ensuring continuity despite changes in government, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed on Wednesday.

Lacson made the call after noting that the master plans of previous administrations were often discarded by the successors, leaving ordinary Filipinos to continue suffering from the effects of flooding.

“Dapat may continuity, multi-administration. Dapat nagko-cross ng administrations ang plano kung ito’y maayos. Pwede siguro mag modify, mag-adapt sa bagong sitwasyon sa pagbabago ng panahon, pero nandiyan ang basic master plan kung paano tutugunan ang problema ng pagbaha (There should be continuity and the master plan should be multi-administration in scope. It must be designed to cross administrations. Minor modifications can be made over time to adapt to new situations, but the core of the basic plan must remain),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Lacson: Flood Control Master Plan, Dapat May ‘Continuity’ at ‘Multi-Administration’

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Lacson: No Holiday Furlough for Discaya, 3 Former DPWH Engineers

Due to security concerns, there will be no holiday furlough for contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and three former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers detained in the Senate in connection with the flood control project scandal, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probing the issue, said Senate President Vicente Sotto III approved his recommendation to deny the leave requests of Discaya and former engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza and Henry Alcantara.

“I recommended to the Senate President that their request for Christmas furlough be denied mainly for security reasons, owing to the repeated media statements from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that arrest warrants against them will be issued before Christmas,” Lacson said.

“So the risk of escape becomes greater – not to mention that it makes no sense to grant such requests for Christmas leave if indeed warrants are coming out by then,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Walang Holiday Furlough para kina Discaya, 3 Dating Inhinyero ng DPWH

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Lacson: Sacked DPWH Official’s Retrieved Documents, Computer to Undergo Proper Handling to Preserve Chain of Custody

Documents, a computer and other items retrieved by sacked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez to support the claims he made before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into anomalous flood control projects will undergo proper procedure to preserve the chain of custody, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson also said he has set the next hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee at 9 a.m. of Tuesday, Sept. 22, due to “new developments,” and has prepared invitations to some former DPWH officials.

“He brought back items including documents and a computer, but these items are sealed for now. We will follow a procedure to preserve the chain of custody,” he said in Filipino, in an interview on DZBB radio.

“We need to preserve the chain of custody so that if the evidence is vital to a case, it will not be compromised,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Narekober na Dokumento at Computer ng Sinibak na DPWH Exec, Dadaan sa Tamang Proseso Para Mapreserba ang Chain of Custody

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Taxpayer Lacson Shares Filipinos’ Anger Over Flood Control Project Mess

As a taxpayer, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson shares the frustration and anger of fellow Filipino citizens over how their taxes were lost to corruption, including the one behind anomalous flood control projects.

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee conducting an investigation on the matter, said Saturday that he continues to follow the evidence that he hopes will lead to the proverbial big fish.

“I understand our citizens’ frustration and anger and I share it. I am also frustrated and angry because we pay our taxes and we see what some corrupt officials did to it,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DWIZ radio.

“There is no other way to go but to ensure a logical conclusion, and the Senate under Senate President Vicente Sotto III through the Blue Ribbon Committee is fully committed to support and complement the mandate of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to bring to justice all those who must be made to pay for their sins against the Filipino people,” he added. “We are aware that our citizens will not settle for district engineers like the Brice Hernandezes and Henry Alcantaras of this world.”

In Filipino: Taxpayer Ping, Kaagapay sa Galit ng mga Pilipino sa Flood Control Project Mess

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Lacson: Massive P457-Million Cash Delivery to DPWH Engineers May Point to Bigger Players in Flood Control Project Mess

Massive cash deliveries made to now-sacked engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including a P457-million one-time delivery last March, may point to bigger players in the flood control project mess, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said it is baffling why a contractor is delivering cash to DPWH engineers for projects when it should be the other way around.

He was referring to the cash deliveries made by Syms Construction owner Sally Santos to sacked DPWH Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez at least three times this year alone.

In Filipino: Lacson: Dambuhalang P457-M Cash Delivery sa mga Inhinyero ng DPWH, Maaaring Magturo sa Mas Malalaking Tao sa Flood Control Mess

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