The House of Representatives is set to launch a tri-committee inquiry into alleged irregularities in flood control projects across the country, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon confirmed yesterday.
The probe will be jointly handled by the House committees on public accounts, public works, and good government, once the membership is completed. Ridon said the investigation will scrutinize not only finished projects, but also those that are incomplete, delayed, substandard, or “ghost” projects that do not exist.
He stressed that accusations of corruption involving lawmakers must be backed by hard proof. “The burden of showing, the burden of disclosure is on the person accusing,” Ridon said, referring to Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who have claimed that corruption in public works has become rampant.
Both Lacson and Magalong will be invited to present their allegations once the tri-committee is fully formed. Magalong, however, said he has yet to receive a formal invitation. “I’m still waiting. In fact, I’m very enthusiastic about attending a hearing,” he remarked during the unveiling of an artificial groundwater recharge facility in Baguio City.
