Lawmaker Criticizes Ombudsman Over Handling of P15-Billion Anti-Corruption Funds Amid Flood Control Scam

During the House plenary session on September 24, Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio sharply criticized the Office of the Ombudsman for its apparent failure to effectively utilize its substantial P15-billion anti-corruption budget. He pointed to ongoing revelations of rampant corruption tied to flood control projects as evidence that anti-corruption efforts have fallen short.

"You were entrusted with P15 billion supposedly for anti-corruption purposes. The people have one question: what happened to these funds?" Tinio questioned, underscoring the widespread and severe corruption witnessed in flood control initiatives.

Tinio highlighted allegations involving officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including reports of lavish spending on casino gambling, extravagant gifts among officials, and kickback schemes totaling hundreds of millions of pesos. He referenced claims made by former DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara during Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings and prior House Infrastructure Committee discussions.

"Why has it taken so long for these misconducts to surface? Officials were reportedly wagering hundreds of millions in casinos, exchanging luxury vehicles, and funneling kickbacks to politicians. Just yesterday, we learned that kickbacks amounting to over half a billion pesos were linked to a single transaction involving a billiard table in a district engineer’s office," Tinio stated.

In response, budget sponsor and Quezon 4th district Representative Keith Micah Tan defended the Ombudsman’s efforts, noting the complexity and volume of cases it handles. He explained that the office conducts discreet, fact-finding investigations to avoid interfering with ongoing legal proceedings.

"The Ombudsman deals with a wide range of cases and carefully evaluates complaints to determine their validity before proceeding. They conduct investigations discreetly to prevent prejudging individuals and to not disrupt concurrent inquiries," Tan elaborated.

However, Tinio remained unconvinced, expressing skepticism toward the so-called "discreet" nature of the Ombudsman’s investigations, noting the lack of any filed charges or admissions of guilt months into the scandal.

"Isn’t it concerning that after several months, no official has been formally charged, despite admissions of overpricing, kickbacks, and ghost projects?" he asked.

Despite the pointed exchange, the plenary debate on the Ombudsman’s 2026 budget concluded without further incident.