Flood control probe not done yet

THE government is far from finished investigating alleged multibillion-peso flood control anomalies, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said, claiming the corruption scheme his administration exposed predates his term in office.

Speaking during a livestreamed news briefing in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time), Mr. Marcos rejected allegations of his own involvement in the irregularities, noting he brought the longstanding issue to light during his 2025 State of the Nation Address.

“I cannot say that we have done enough because we are not done yet. Unfortunately, the more we look, the more we find,” he said. “And it is going already back beyond my administration, beyond my term.”

Mr. Marcos cited the disclosure of the late House Majority Floor Leader Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. of a flood control mess worth more than P300 billion in 2018. He said the issue had already been identified years before his term, and although previous leaders recognized the problem, no one was held accountable, leaving the matter to his administration.

“At the time, President (Rodrigo) Duterte acknowledged that there were great problems in terms of the flood control projects. But nothing happened… it did not find accountability in anybody,” he said.

“I guess that was left up to me to do. And so we are still doing it.”

Addressing critics who have linked his administration to the mess or called for his ouster based on these allegations, he argued that it would be illogical for him to expose a scheme that benefits him.

“I’m the one who exposed all of this, and I’m the only one that has started to do anything about this,” Mr. Marcos said. “Did the past presidents do anything like this? Did they jail anyone? Did they freeze any accounts? Did they conduct any investigations? None. Only under me. Then they say I am the one behind it.”

“If it were truly my racket, why would I destroy my own racket? That makes absolutely no sense,” he said.

Mr. Marcos said authorities maintain an inventory of questionable contractors and infrastructure projects, with some accounts already frozen. He also rejected allegations of selective justice and expressed confidence in the Ombudsman’s investigations, including the possible use of former government officials as state witnesses. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking