By el Amigo
MANILA — Government projects worth at least PHP3.713 billion have been completed, are ongoing, or remain suspended along sections of the Laguna Lake shoreline in Taguig City being investigated over alleged illegal reclamation, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Monday.
Lacson said his team arrived at the figure after reviewing official documents and conducting its own investigation. The projects were implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and mainly involve flood control and multipurpose structures.
He said the total does not cover other projects along the Taguig River that he described as potentially anomalous, including slope protection and flood mitigation works. Lacson alleged that some involved duplicate funding and “ghost” projects, with photographs from previously completed works allegedly reused to support billing.
The senator said the latest information would be presented to the Office of the Ombudsman’s fact-finding team for evaluation.
Five contractors accounted for PHP2.372 billion of the identified project costs.
Dahl Construction received the largest amount, PHP858.22 million, for five individual projects and four joint ventures. J.C. Uyecio was linked to four joint ventures worth PHP483.1 million, while Toughbuilt had three projects totaling PHP434.2 million.
Topnotch was involved in three joint ventures amounting to PHP329.9 million. GR Fervidal had five multipurpose building projects worth PHP266.6 million, all of which were suspended because of a planned revision of the projects and a soil re-investigation, Lacson said.
The senator’s statement came after the DPWH ordered a halt to projects connected with the disputed reclamation activities.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon had earlier told Lacson that the department would stop the affected works once the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) formally requested it. Dizon later confirmed that cease-and-desist orders had been issued following an instruction from the Office of the President coursed through the PRA.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also weighed in, saying the government could gain additional property if claims that certain land titles were illegally issued are established.
Cayetano cited a disputed 181,077-square-meter property, or about 18 hectares, and said the government could acquire the land if its title is proven illegal.
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