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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace on lawmakers linked to flood control mess: Hindi ito palalagpasin ng Pangulo

Palace on lawmakers linked to flood control mess: Hindi ito palalagpasin ng Pangulo

Published Sep 8, 2025 04:50 pm
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. bares key findings in the ongoing investigation of flood-control projects during a press conference at the Malacañan Palace on Aug. 11, 2025. (Mark Balmores)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. bares key findings in the ongoing investigation of flood-control projects during a press conference at the Malacañan Palace on Aug. 11, 2025. (Mark Balmores)
If proven that lawmakers and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials allegedly involved in the flood control anomalies indeed demanded kickbacks from projects, President Marcos will not let it slide.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this following the revelation made by contractors Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya on Monday, Sept. 8, alleging that lawmakers and DPWH officials routinely demanded kickbacks of up to 25 percent from government-funded flood control projects.
In a sworn statement, the Discayas, who own and are linked in two of the 15 contractors exposed by Marcos as companies that secured 20 percent of the entire flood-control projects in the country, named several officials and politicians who allegedly benefited from the kickback scheme.
"[K]ung sino man po diyan— kaalyado man, hindi kaalyado, kaibigan, kamag-anak—'yan naman po ang sinabi ng Pangulo: kapag napatunayan po kung ano man ang kanilang involvement dito, ito naman po ay maaaring kasuhan (Whoever they are—whether they are allies, friends, or relatives—the President said: should their involvement be proven, they shall face charges)," Castro said in a press briefing on the sidelines of Marcos' state visit in Cambodia.
"Hindi po ito palalagpasin ng Pangulo (The President will not let this slide)," Castro added.  
The Palace official also stressed that House Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose name was among those revealed by the Discayas, should not be singled out.
"Wag natin i-isolate na si Speaker lang. Marami kasi siyang binanggit (Let us not single out the Speaker alone. They mentioned several others as well)," she said when asked for the President's reaction to the revelation.

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