Senator Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday, Sept. 2, revealed the strong possibility that contractors’ licenses are being rented out by dummy companies and even by officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In an ANC interview, Tulfo, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Vice Chairperson, said his sources confirmed: “They do not construct—they only have their licenses rented out.”

“Based on the information I received, there is what they call ‘in-house construction.’ The DPWH borrows or even buys the license of a contractor, then proceeds with the project. In some cases, they do not build at all,” Tulfo added.

The senator also noted the suspicious behavior of Wawao Builders’ CEO Mark Allan Arevalo, who failed to respond properly during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.

“He was shivering. He was really nervous. It was evident,” Tulfo remarked.

Similarly, Tulfo questioned St. Timothy Construction President Maria Roma Rimando, pointing out her inability to articulate her role as the supposed head of the firm.

“Would you believe that they are the real owners? They looked more like staff than billion-peso contractors. If you owned billions worth of projects, you should at least be able to express yourself properly. But they’re not like that,” Tulfo stressed.

Tulfo further raised suspicions of collusion within the Commission on Audit (COA), citing the proliferation of ghost and substandard projects.

According to him, COA must personally inspect projects on the ground instead of simply relying on documents.

“It is COA’s job to provide a true report. Right now, it’s clear they are not doing enough to flag substandard flood-control projects. Have they seen them? If yes, they should have reported them,” he said.

The Blue Ribbon Vice Chair emphasized that the ultimate goal of the Senate investigation is to craft legislation that closes loopholes for corruption.

“Lawmakers should not dip their hands in the national budget,” Tulfo said.