The House of Representatives will launch its much-awaited investigation on the flood control projects controversy on Tuesday, Sept. 2, via its so-called infrastructure committee (infra comm).

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon made this announcement during a press conference Thursday, Aug. 28 at the House.

"Siguro very important lang po at this point na i-announce nga natin na tuloy po yung House Infrastructure Committee (infra comm) hearing sa Sept. 2. Magsisimula po ito ng 9 a.m. sa darating na Martes,"

(Perhaps it's very important at this point to announce that the House Infrastructure Committee hearing on Sept. 2 will push through. It will begin at 9 a.m. this coming Tuesday.)

The infra comm is composed of three separate panels: the House Committees on Public Accounts, on Good Government and Public Accountability, and on Public Works and Highways.

These panels are chaired by Ridon, Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, and Surigao del Sur 1st district Rep. Romeo Momo Sr., respectively.

"Lahat po ng mga kailangang imbitahan na resource persons, kasama po dyan yun pong offialdom ng Department of Public Works ad Highways (DPWH), yun pong lahat ng mga kontratista na binabanggit po ng Pangulo dito po sa talaga pong nakakuha ng malalaking mga flood control projects," Ridon said.

(All the resource persons who need to be invited, including the officialdom of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as well as all the contractors mentioned by the President who were awarded major flood control projects, are included.)

Ridon said the infra comm probe will "focus on projects that have been inspected by the President".

Malacañang is leading an audit of flood control projects all over the country. This has placed the DPWH under intense scrutiny amid suspicions that the agency, the contractors, and lawmakers collude to earn massive kickbacks from these projects.

Ridon said that SYMS Construction Trading, the contractor of the ghost project in Bulacan that President Marcos inspected, will be invited to the inquiry.

"Imbitahan din po natin yung iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno na makakapagbigay konteksto dito po sa proseso ng pagkakaroon po ng proyekto ng gobyerno (Let us also invite other government agencies that can provide context regarding the process of how government projects come to be)," added the infra comm co-chairman.

Ridon identified two such agencies as the Government Pocurement and Policy Board (GPPB) and Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB).

Referring to the latter, the party-list solon said: "Very important siguro na maglinaw po sila dahil mayroon pong fresh allegation from the Senate na even po yung accreditation daw po ng mga kontratista ay batbat din po ng katiwalian."

(It’s probably very important that they clarify things, because there’s a fresh allegation from the Senate that even the accreditation of contractors is riddled with corruption.)

Ridon said all types of government infrastructure projects--not just those involving flood control--can be covered by the three-way panel.