Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero OKs Issuance of Subpoena for Flood Control Contractors
CHIZ ESCUDERO – The Senate President approved the issuance of subpoena for the contractors who skipped the Senate flood hearing.
During his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), Pres. Bongbong Marcos admitted that several flood control projects in the country failed resulting to flooding in many areas. A few weeks after his annual address, the Chief Executive held a press conference over the issue.
Marcos Jr. revealed that the expenses of the country for the flood control deals have reached more than P500 billion already for the projects from July 2022 to May 2025. He stressed that it is an “enormous” amount.
The President also claimed that 15 contractors were awarded with 20% of the P545-billion flood control projects of the government. According to him, there were even five (5) of them who won government deals in almost all regions across the nation.
Here are the 15 flood control project contractors flagged by Pres. Bongbong Marcos:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
According to Marcos Jr., the Legacy Construction Corporation, the St. Timothy Construction Corporation, the Road Edge Trading & Development Services, the Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., and the EGB Construction Corporation have projects in almost all regions across the country. He stressed that the administration will investigate on the issue.
Following the press con of Pres. Bongbong Marcos, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero admitted to receiving a P30-million campaign donation from one flood control project contractor, the Centerways Construction.
Amid the flood control controversy, the Senate confirmed it will launch a probe on the alleged anomalous projects. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero has signed all the subpoena requests of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for the all the contractors.
- Mr. Luisito R. Tiqui, President of L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Ms. Cezarah C. Discaya, President of Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corporation
- Mr. Lawrence R. Lubiano, President of Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Mr. Edgar S. Acosta, President of Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Ms. Marjorie O. Samidan, authorized managing officer of MG Samidan Construction
- Mr. Romeo C. Miranda, President of Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Ms. Ma. Roma Angeline D. Rimando. President of St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- Ms. Aderma Angelie D. Alcazar, President/CEO of Sunwest, Inc.
- Mr. Eumir S. Villanueva, President of Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Mr. Mark Allan V. Arevalo, General Manager of Wawao Builders
However, only seven (7) of the 11 contractors who responded to the subpoena skipped the first Senate flood probe. Based on the report, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said he will move for the issuance of subpoena to all the contractors who did not attend the Senate hearing.
According to Estrada, if the contractors will not attend the next Senate flood probe and will give unacceptable excuses, he will move for their arrest. Amid the issue that mentioned his name, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero linked the flood control project issue against him to the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.