Lawmaker urges DOJ to act on flood project corruption

 By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez has urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to actively pursue witnesses in alleged corruption cases involving public funds allocated for flood control projects.

In a press statement on Monday, Benitez said the DOJ should not wait for witnesses to come forward if it is serious about prosecuting and convicting those who plundered funds meant to protect communities from flooding.

He also called on the department to activate the whistleblower protection program to encourage officials and employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), along with others who may hold vital information, to testify against what he described as a “massive, corrupt conspiracy.”

“This is their chance to tell the truth. It is the government’s responsibility to provide them a platform and proper protection to uphold accountability,” Benitez said.

He added that while the path to justice may be “long and hard,” it must be pursued to achieve lasting reform.

“We must ensure that public infrastructure does not take shortcuts that endanger lives and that government processes are free from corrupt practices. This is how we put fear in the hearts of those who exploit the system for material gain,” he said.

Earlier, Benitez called for the resignation of DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan following reports that multi-billion peso flood control projects were allegedly marred by irregularities.

He cited the principle of command responsibility in saying the secretary should step down.

“If something as basic as this has been overlooked, who knows how many more critical projects are in a similar state?” he asked.

Benitez warned that the alleged anomalies pose a danger to communities that rely on these projects for safety and protection.