Senator Panfilo Lacson expressed deep doubt over the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) ability to clean up corruption within its own agency, likening the move to “asking inmates to investigate anomalies in Bilibid.”
“Good luck to all of us if they will investigate themselves,” Lacson said in a dzBB interview, stressing that the credibility of an internal probe remains questionable.
The senator dismissed measures such as forming an anti-corruption body, imposing travel suspensions, and conducting lifestyle checks as insufficient. While he welcomed lifestyle checks as “a good start,” Lacson stressed that accountability must go beyond paperwork. “The bottom line is that there should be people charged, convicted and jailed. Nothing short of that will discourage those involved in corruption,” he warned.
He noted that without real consequences, dishonest officials would only be emboldened. “If you are in the bureaucracy and you see those who are punished, you will think twice… but if you see them not being punished, you will be tempted to join them,” Lacson added.
Despite his criticism, the senator welcomed growing citizen vigilance, pointing to communities monitoring flood control projects and exposing substandard work. He urged the public to sustain this momentum and also highlight well-executed projects.
Lacson renewed his push for transparency in the budget process, stressing that lawmakers must bear “shared responsibility” for the projects they insert. He argued that multiple layers of amendments—from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to bicameral adjustments—make it harder to pin down accountability.
Meanwhile, Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda-Leviste warned DPWH against covering up irregularities in billion-peso flood control projects. He cited instances where sheet piles fell short of required measurements, collapsed infrastructure, and projects implemented without local permits. Some contracts have since been terminated or ordered corrected at contractors’ expense, but his office is still waiting for key documents from the agency.
Adding to the controversy, Lacson accused the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) of extortion, citing reports of contractors being forced to pay millions to renew or obtain licenses. He said one contractor was blackmailed into paying at least ₱1 million to secure renewal, while another reportedly shelled out ₱7 million for first-time accreditation.
The senator also raised conflict-of-interest concerns against board members allegedly running their own firms while approving licenses for others. PCAB has denied earlier claims of “accreditation for sale,” but Lacson urged affected contractors to come forward to aid investigations.
