Flood control projects worth P7B in Davao district awarded to one contractor, says NBI

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Some flood control projects worth P7 billion in Davao City were awarded to a single contractor from 2018 to 2024, National Bureau of Investigation director Melvin Matibag said on Thursday.

Matibag said that the NBI found that the said projects were worth P7 billion after coordinating with the Commission on Audit. The initial information on the worth of the contracts was P1.9 billion

"We also have coordination with the Commission on Audit. Medyo kulang pala yung figure na tinitingnan naming P1.9 [billion] na nakuhang proyekto ng isang contractor," he told reporters.

(It turns out the P1.9 [billion] figure we were looking at for projects obtained by a single contractor was actually insufficient.)

"P7 billion pala ito mula 2018 hanggang 2024. So after this, we will also issue a subpoena for documents sa Commission on Audit," he added.

(It turns out to be P7 billion from 2018 to 2024. So after this, we will also issue a subpoena for documents to the Commission on Audit.)

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region XI director Juby Cordon arrived at the NBI headquarters on Thursday after being summoned in connection to the anomalous flood control projects in Davao City.

The regional DPWH also submitted 10 boxes of documents to the NBI amid the ongoing probe on the 51 flood control projects in Davao City.

"Fifty-one projects yung tinignan, kaya natin yun sinubpoena dahil may suspicion na may problema dito. Gaya nung specific na may isang proyekto na iisa yung coordinates niya pero limang beses itong pinondohan, na iba-iba lang yung titulo," said Matibag.

(Fifty-one projects were examined, which is why we issued a subpoena for them because there is a suspicion that there are problems here. Like a specific instance where one project had the same coordinates, but it was funded five times under different titles.)

Last month, the Office of the Ombudsman said that it will investigate Davao City, which is believed to be the "epicenter of flood control" projects before the Marcos administration.

But Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte slammed Ombudsman Boying Remulla over his allegations. –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA News