A group of labor unions and organizations urged the national government to expedite the investigation into the anomalous flood control projects in order to hold all those involved accountable in the soonest possible time.

In a statement, the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) said one way to speed up the determination of culpability is to expedite the operationalization of the Independent Commission for Flood Control Project.

President Marcos created the Commission after exposing what he described as shamelessness in the flood control projects. Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Rogelio Singson and SGV country manager Rosanna Fajardo as members, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as special adviser and investigator.

“The Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) condemns the massive corruption in the anomalous billion flood control projects that left the Philippines flooded,” the group said in a statement.

“The PTGWO is demanding an immediate, impartial, transparent, thorough investigation and swift determination of culpability and filing of appropriate criminal cases against elective and appointive public officials already named by the contractors and employees of the DPWH,” it added.

PTGWO national president Arnel Dolendo said speeding up the operationalization of the Independent Commission for Flood Control Project will speed up the efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the commission of what he described as a heinous crime.

Considering the scale of corruption in these flood control projects, Dolendo said they are also calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to form a Special Prosecuting Team, composed of senior prosecutors, to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice free from legal technicalities.

“The trust and patience of the betrayed and suffering public is fading at a fast pace. We therefore call on the government act fast before the public trust and patience is completely gone. Investigation must be nationwide, not focused solely on certain regions to avoid public perception that the investigation is politically motivated,” said Dolendo, who represents the labor sector in several tripartite bodies under the DOLE.

The labor group also proposed to prosecute first those involved in ghost flood control projects around the country, followed by other flood control projects that are unfinished and substandard.

“Those behind these so-called ‘ghost’ flood control projects around the country have certainly left a paper trail that can be easily followed. There is no reason for any delay or inaction. These people unashamedly betrayed the public’s trust and committed grave and heinous offenses against the Filipino people. We demand immediate charges and the swift prosecution and conviction of these individuals” said Dolendo.

But he suggested that both the House and Senate should stop their investigation as some of their members were also implicated in the flood control mess.

“This is especially since it appears that it cannot investigate its own members. It is likewise to avoid public perception, as is happening now, that their investigation is biased and meant solely to protect their fellow lawmakers and not for enacting laws to prevent corruption,” said Dolendo.