President Marcos expressed outrage after discovering that a P55-million riverwall project in Baliuag, Bulacan, had been recorded as “completed” by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) despite having no construction on the ground at all.

“No, I’m not disappointed, I’m angry,” the President told reporters after inspecting the supposed 220-meter reinforced concrete riverwall in Barangay Piel on Wednesday morning, Aug. 20.

“Kahit isang araw hindi nagtrabaho. Wala kang makita kahit na ano (Not a single day of work was done. You will not see anything there),” he added.

The President said the absence of flood control structures has allowed flooding to persist in nearby communities.

“If all of these projects were properly executed and implemented, ang laki nang nawala na problema sana sa atin at sa taumbayan (many of our people’s problems would have already been solved),” he said.

President Marcos said the government is now studying the filing of criminal cases against contractors and officials involved in falsifying accomplishment reports.

“Kitang-kita naman na hindi completed (It’s obvious that this is not completed). So, immediately, that’s a falsification. So, that’s already a very big violation,” he said.

“For the big ones, I’m thinking very hard… pipilahan natin sila ng economic sabotage (we might file economic sabotage cases),” he added.

Marcos noted that the government could have saved on debt had the funds for flood control projects been properly used.

“Ngayon babalikan na natin ngayon ito, saan napunta ‘yung pera, hahabulin natin, kakasuhan natin sila (We will review where the money went. We will go after them and sue them),” he said.

In a Facebook post, President Marcos said SYMS Construction Trading, which is behind the said project, is now blacklisted.

"Ang SYMS Construction Trading ay agad na iba-blacklist at haharap sa mga kaso sa ilalim ng Revised Penal Code at RA 3019 (SYMS Construction Trading will immediately be blacklisted and will face charges under the Revised Penal Code and RA 3019)," he said.

"Hahanapin at sisiyasatin pa natin ang iba pa nilang proyekto (We will go over all their other projects as well)," he added.

The President likewise clarified that government officials involved in and who authorized the project will be suspended and sued for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.

Marcos said that a legal team has started reviewing DPWH documents and comparing them with complaints received from residents.

“We are continuing to go through the records of Public Works and all the big contractors to see kung tumutugma ‘yung kanilang report doon sa mga sinusumbong sa atin ng taumbayan (if their reports match the complaints from the people),” he said.

The President emphasized that the audit will not be limited to Bulacan.

“It depends on what our findings will be. There’s a legal team working on that,” he added.

Marcos urged residents to continue reporting anomalies and to send photos or videos as evidence.

“Padalhan ninyo kami ng picture, padalhan ninyo kami ng video... Pupuntahan namin (Send us pictures and videos. We will go there),” he said.

In a Facebook post, he asked the public to send their reports to the sumbongsapangulo.ph website.

"Sama-sama nating wawakasan ang katiwalian at sisiguraduhin na ang pera ng taumbayan ay napupunta sa proyektong para sa tao (Together, let us end corruption and make sure that the people's funds go to projects for the people)," Marcos wrote.

He said government engineers would be dispatched to verify reports and determine how public funds were used.

“Anong nangyari sa pondo? Sino ang nagwaldas ng pondo (What happened to the funds? Who wasted the funds)?,” the President asked.