DAVAO CITY – Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte on Monday, Aug. 25, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should be held accountable for alleged irregularities in multi-billion peso flood control projects, stressing that the Chief Executive sits at the top of the government chain of command.

“If there is someone to be blamed, that would be him,” Duterte said in an interview with Alvin & Tourism at The Hague, Netherlands.

He said that Marcos touted the implementation of 5,500 flood mitigation projects during his second State-of-the-Nation Address.

Mayor Duterte, the youngest son of former President Rodrigo Duterte, said the President, as the head of the chain of command, failed to enforce discipline among government agencies and lawmakers who handle infrastructure allocations.

“He allowed this to happen for the past three years. You’re the President, you signed the budget, and now you’re shifting the blame to others under your leadership,” Mayor Duterte said in the local dialect.

Mayor Duterte’s remarks came as senators intensified their investigation on alleged ghost and anomalous projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has been scrutinizing companies that cornered billions of pesos worth of flood control contracts since 2022.

Among the firms flagged was R.A. Pahati Construction and Supply Inc., linked to Davao de Oro Rep. Jhong Ceniza, whose legal name is Leonel Domo-ong Ceniza.

Corporate records show Ceniza and his wife, Jella Pahati Ceniza, are incorporators of the company, which secured at least P1.41 billion in DPWH projects between 2022 and 2025.

These include a P35-million revetment on Mabo Creek leading to Kingking River in Pantukan, Davao de Oro, and a P95-million project on Matilao River. Both were awarded in 2023, while Ceniza was still the mayor of Pantukan, raising concerns of conflict of interest.

The company also won the ongoing P150-million rehabilitation of the Davao River revetment in Barangay Mandug in Davao City in 2024, and a P86.8-million flood control project in Asuncion, Davao del Norte, in 2022.

Outside Mindanao, R.A. Pahati bagged 13 contracts worth P633 million in Nueva Ecija, two projects worth P145 million in Zambales, and another P72.3 million in Pampanga, along with deals in Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Camarines Sur, and Laguna.

Despite the volume of contracts, the firm was not among DPWH’s Top 15 contractors with the highest-value projects. Still, it was among those flagged by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who raised the possibility of ghost projects funded through DPWH flood control allocations.

Ceniza denied the allegations, saying he has long been in the industry, even before entering politics. “These are old issues hurled at me during the last elections. I was never involved in any ghost projects. If my name came up, it was because of politics, not anomalies,” he said.

The Senate has approved subpoenas for 10 contractors who skipped last week’s hearing. Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed the orders have been signed and will be served immediately.

Among those subpoenaed were Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders, which was linked to alleged ghost projects in Bulacan, and Marjorie Samidan of MG Samidan Construction, which bagged P5.02 billion worth of projects despite having only P250,000 in paid-up capital.

Also summoned are Lawrence Lubiano of Centerways Construction, which cornered P5.1 billion in contracts, Sara Discaya of Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor, and Edgar Acosta of Hi-Tone Construction.

Five other contractors have appeared before the inquiry, Legacy Construction Corp., QM Builders, EGC Construction, Triple 8 Construction, and Road Edge Trading and Development Services.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada warned that contractors who ignore the Senate probe may face arrest.