“Paano tayo umabot sa ganito?”
President Marcos Jr. posed this question as he vowed to grant sweeping powers to an independent commission tasked with investigating corruption in flood control projects. He stressed the need for a deep probe into how such malpractice became entrenched in public infrastructure.
In the fourth episode of his podcast which aired on Sunday evening, Sept. 7, Marcos underscored his frustration with the state of public works and the deep-rooted issues that have long plagued them.
“We will give them all the powers that are necessary for them to come to a conclusion, to come to some findings, para meron naman… alam natin kung ano ’yung nangyari,” he added.
The body, which is yet to be formalized, would be “completely separate from government,” unlike the Commission on Audit (COA) or the Office of the Ombudsman.
President Marcos earlier said the panel will include lawyers, prosecutors, and forensic investigators who will review evidence and identify liable parties.
The planned commission came after Marcos accepted the resignation of Manuel Bonoan as Public Works secretary on Sept. 1.
Marcos earlier revealed that his inspections confirmed ghost or non-existent projects, as well as substandard works, particularly in flood control.
Reports of these anomalies were also sent to the Palace through the complaints platform sumbongsapangulo.ph.
The President has repeatedly expressed outrage over what he called “garapalan” (brazen) corruption in public works, saying contractors and officials who colluded must be held to account.
He has also warned of blacklisting private firms involved and pursuing cases of economic sabotage.
According to Marcos, the probe must not stop at identifying guilty parties but should also explain how systemic abuses took root.
“Ang lalim na ng problema… Ang nais ko talagang malaman, paano ba tayo umabot sa ganito?,” he said.
He added that actionable findings should lead to safeguards, including possible legislation and structural reforms, to prevent a repeat of the abuses in future projects. (Argyll Geducos)
