Sen. Ping Lacson Speaks on House Flood Probe Claim of Hernandez
PING LACSON – The Senator confirmed finding a P355-million budget insertion that matches the claim of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez.
The flood control mess in the Philippines left countless Filipinos dismayed and angered over the multi-million anomalous flood control projects in the different regions across the nation. Several contractors became the center of the spotlight after they were flagged by President Bongbong Marcos.
Marcos Jr. previously stressed that the Philippines’ expenses on flood control projects has already reached over P500 billion. According to him, the following contractors got around P100 billion or 18% of the total government flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025:
- 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
In Bulacan, Pres. Bongbong Marcos found a ‘ghost’ Riverwall project that cost the government over P55 million. He also found an incomplete flood control project made with substandard materials.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives conducted investigations over the flood control mess in the country now. During the recent House flood probe, one of the resource persons invited by the chamber was former DPWH Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez.
During the House hearing, Hernandez accused senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva of allegedly receiving kickbacks from the government-funded flood control deals. According to him, Estrada allegedly moved for a P350-million budget for Bulacan for this year.
“Si Senator Jinggoy po ay nagbaba ng P350 million ngayong 2025 sa ilang projects sa Bulacan… Ang kanyang SOP dito ay 30 percent, as per our district engineer Henry Alcantara. Diniliver ito noong lumabas ang mga item na ito sa GAA (General Appropriations Act),” Hernandez claimed.
Recently, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Ping Lacson confirmed finding a budget insertion that matched the claim of former DPWH Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez during a House flood probe. Based on a report on Inquirer, he had the GAA checked right away.
“Pina-check ko agad sa General Appropriations Act kung meron bang insertion na nagkakahalaga ng P355 million na intended para sa Bulacan. And we found one. Meron talagang insertion na wala sa House version pero lumabas ito after Bicam. So maliwanag na either sa Senate version or sa Bicam yun na insert,” the Senator claimed.
According to Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Ping Lacson, it would add to the “credibility” of the Hernandez once proven but he still wants to validate further the said budget insertion. Based on the report, he wants to determine who was the proponent of the said budget insertion which either happened in the Senate or during the Bicameral Conference Committee session.
“That would add to the credibility. Kasi exact yung amount. Nung na-check namin, indeed, meron talagang P355 million na wala sa House version, wala sa NEP. So either sa Senate version or sa Bicam yun na-insert,” Lacson said.
Amid the allegation, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada denied receiving kickback from flood control projects.