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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ridon doesn't want flood control projects mess to end up like a 'Napoles situtation'

Ridon doesn't want flood control projects mess to end up like a 'Napoles situtation'

Published Jan 15, 2026 02:50 pm

At A Glance

  • Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon says that the resolution to the flood control corruption scandal shouldn't be a replay of the "pork barrel" scandal, wherein a lone private citizen ended up in jail despite the reported involvement of many politicians.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon says that the resolution to the flood control corruption scandal shouldn't be a replay of the "pork barrel" scandal, wherein a lone private citizen ended up in jail despite the reported involvement of many politicians.
In a news forum Wednesday, Jan. 14, Ridon reckoned that it was up to the Office of the Ombudsman to make sure that such scenario won't come to pass.
The lawyer-solon said the Ombudsman can do so by carrying out proper case build-up against the involved personalities.
"The burden falls on the Ombudsman to make sure that they have air-tight cases," said Ridon, overall chairman of the House Committee on Infrastructure (Infracom).
"We do not want to have another Napoles situtation where it is just a private person that had been convicted for life but...involved legislators and executive officials had been acquitted, he said.
Ridon was referring to Janet Lim Napoles, the incarcerated "Pork Barrel Queen" who was the central figure in the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam a few years ago.
Ridon's worries were seemingly fueled by the fact that the common denominator between the flood control projects and pork barrel scandals were lawmakers receiving juicy kickbacks from either substandard or non-existent projects.
The ranking congressman's statements came as the work of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI)--the body created by President Marcos himself to look into the issue of anomalous flood control projects--appeared to be winding down.
During the latter half of 2025, the ICi submitted multiple recommendations to the Ombudsman as far as pressing charges against certain individuals were concerned.
It was also last year when the Ridon-led Infracom carried out two public hearings on the controversy, which dominated discourse in and out of Congress.
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