MANILA – Senator Erwin Tulfo on Thursday said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is prepared to evaluate allegations of ghost flood-control and infrastructure projects in Taguig City once Senator Panfilo Lacson submits the documents supporting his claims.
According to Tulfo, the committee’s initial task will be to assess the records, determine the issues involved, identify the projects in question, and establish who should be invited to testify.
He noted that the accusations are serious enough to merit close examination before any formal investigation proceeds.
Lacson has alleged that ghost flood-control projects exist in Taguig and claimed that a city engineer used two separate identities while gambling in casinos, allegedly recording close to PHP500 million in total winnings and losses at a Metro Manila gaming venue. The senator, however, has not yet disclosed the engineer’s identity or released evidence backing the allegations.
He also questioned PHP6.79 billion worth of projects allegedly inserted into the 2025 national budget, saying 68 of the 70 projects—valued at PHP6.715 billion—had already been carried out. The amount pertains to projects linked to the disputed budget allocations and does not necessarily represent projects alleged to be fictitious.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano disputed Lacson’s assertions, insisting that Taguig has no ghost projects. He challenged Lacson to substantiate his allegations and pointed to previous reviews by the Department of Public Works and Highways and other government agencies that reportedly found no evidence of projects that were funded but never implemented.
Tulfo said the committee has not yet received Lacson’s documentary evidence, emphasizing that no action can be taken until the records are formally submitted and reviewed.
He said the Blue Ribbon Committee may hold its first hearing after President Marcos’ SONA, subject to the availability of Senate hearing rooms.
Aside from the Taguig issue, Tulfo said the committee also plans to invite 18 security personnel who earlier challenged senators to hear their side. He clarified that each individual would first need to submit an affidavit before appearing before the panel.
The senator added that the committee will also verify whether the issues are already the subject of investigations by the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice to avoid overlapping inquiries involving the same projects and individuals.
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