By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Anti-corruption advocates on Monday (Aug. 18) discussed national issues affecting the nation such as the controversial flood control projects, alleged irregularities in the 2025 mid-term election, and the complaint of former Rep. Jing Paras’ against Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
In a press conference at Kamuning Bakery Café hosted by Rod Cornejo, PDP-Laban Party Deputy Spokesman Atty. Ferdie Topacio said that the stand of the PDP-Laban on the ongoing investigation of the alleged irregularities in the flood control projects headed by President Ferdinand R. “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is that they welcome it but it should be sincere and transparent.
Atty. Topacio noted that the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) is the one making the design of the projects. The DPWH is the one in-charge of the bidding.
Topacio asked why the district engineer of the DPWH is not being investigated. Why there are no DPWH officials who are being investigated or suspended.
He noted that everybody knows that the politicians are the ones appointing the district engineer of the DPWH.
Topacio cited that Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who was then the PNP-CIDG Chief who investigated the “Mamasapano massacre” in connection with the slaying of PNP-SAF 44, was asked not to link then President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III into the case.
“Let the hammer fall where it may fall,” he said.
“The buck stops at the President. All we need is a strong leader,” he added.
Topacio stressed that the President himself identified the 15 contractors which allegedly got the 20% of the flood control projects of the government.
He said that why did President Marcos reject the offer of Magalong, who headed the Board of Inquiry into the Mamasapano massacre, to head the investigation into the alleged irregularities in the flood control projects.
Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the Chairman of the PDP-Laban and Secretary Alfonso Cusi is the Acting Chairman. Atty. Raul Lambino is the Spokesman. Sen. Robin Padilla went on leave as PDP-Laban President and Davao City Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is the Acting President of PDP-Laban.
Topacio cited the “pattern of witnesses” of Sen. Hontiveros such as the 2017 case in Kian Delos Santos, Rene Murillo and the witness in the controversial Pharmaly case.
Former senatorial candidate Atty. Jimmy Bondoc said that they filed a letter-request to the Senate requesting for an investigation-in-aid of legislation, invoking Section 1, Article 6 of the Constitution.
Atty, Bondoc added that all of the issues happening now are still connected in the 2025 elections.
He cited the overseas voting, which was only online voting, and the transmission from a third party.
He stressed that there should be a stop, at last on the alleged election controversies.
“We are not scheming fraud. We are not seeking for position. We are after the violation of the law not the results,” Bondoc said.
“The use of the gadget in the online voting is an indirect contravention of RA 10159,” Bondoc said.
Former Congressman Atty. Jing Paras said that it has really gotten to a point that there should be an investigation on Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
Paras added that there seems to be a pattern of bringing witnesses into her investigation into her “farce”.
He noted that a witness has claimed that he was paid a certain amount in order to testify in the Senate, which besmirched the integrity of the Senate.
“We filed a case against Sen. Hontiveros for kidnapping way back in 2017,” Paras said.
In 2017, together with Atty. Mallari, we filed a case against Hontiveros. She also wiretapped us, together with Sec. Aguirre and she delivered a speech so that’s a violation of the Wiretapping Law.
The Ombudsman then was Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and the case seemed to have been shelved.
During the time of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Paras said that a witness made all of the allegations against then Chief Justice Renato Coronado Corona.
“We will pursue our complaint against Sen. Hontiveros in the Senate Committee on Ethics,” Paras said.
“All these innuendos of President Marcos were all for a show. If he (President Marcos) can prove that he is sincere, let him be,” he added.
The investigation to be conducted by Rep. Terry Ridon, who was relieved by then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for allegedly travelling abroad not related to his mandate as government official.
“I think he will take revenge for what President Duterte did to him,” Paras said.
“The powers that be in Congress can select the projects and contractors themselves. If a Truth Commission can investigate each district such that a P500-million project can be bidded out by a district engineer,” he added.
“The power of the purse is a myth. The power of the purse is really controlled by the President,” Paras said.
Atty. Israelito “Bobet” Torreon, via zoom, said that they have filed, three das ago, with Atty. Jimmy Bondoc, for and in behalf of PDP-Laban and Atty. Alfonso Cusi, with “Duterte 7”, specifically with Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and the Senate Committee on Blue Ribbon chaired by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms chaired by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
They would like an investigation-in-aid of legislation into the alleged election irregularities during the May 12, 2025 mid-term elections, online voting where several OFWs were not able to vote online, the 6 million questionable ballots which were destroyed, modification of the automated voting machines, subject to technical validation, and the 17 million “overvotes” during the election day itself.
“We filed the petition in order to prevent the repetition of the alleged election irregularities. There was a ‘hijack’’ of the data transmission. We also want investigation on the ballots which have no serial numbers,” Torreon said.
He added that the voters were not also given the opportunity to verify their vote. “We want to purify these before the 2028 elections,” Torreon said.
He emphasized that this is really needed in order to fully automate the 2028 elections. After the automated election, we go back to manual counting. He cited Section 17 of RA 8436 and Section 31 of RA 9369 so as to have an “honest-to-goodness” election.
Atty. Manny Luna, a veteran of litigation, said that he has caused the removal from office of then Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista, the quo warranto case against then Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. Aranal Sereno, and the administrative case against Deputy Ombudsman Carrandang.
Luna said that they will file a complaint with the Senate against Sen. Risa Hontiveros for possible ethics violation and for alleged disorderly behavior.
He cited that a witness a certain Rene Murillo was allegedly paid to incriminate KJOC Pastor Quiboloy, who claimed that he was merel paid by Sen. Hontiveros.
“We will give the Senate the opportunity to police its own ranks in the ethics case we will file against Sen. Hontiveros. And if found guilty, she should be removed from the Senate,” Luna said. ###
