Marcos Orders Lifestyle Checks On Government Officials

President Marcos has ordered a lifestyle check on all government officials, starting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which is under scrutiny over substandard and ghost flood control projects.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said each agency would conduct the lifestyle checks, which she vowed would not spare anyone, including administration allies.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the conduct of lifestyle checks on all officials in the midst of the investigation into the anomalous flood control projects,” the Palace press officer said at a briefing on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

“Along with this, President Marcos emphasized the continuous checking of the records of the DPWH in relation to anomalous projects. The government’s investigation is ongoing to determine those behind the projects that were supposed to help solve the widespread flooding in the country.”

Asked how the administration would ensure the independence of the lifestyle checks, Castro replied: “The President has spoken so the agencies should perform their duty. Let us trust them and if we see anomalies in their investigation, their work would be questionable and they would be included in the investigation.”

“Charges will be filed. Those who should be charged will be charged. No one will be spared, not even allies. Whoever is involved will be charged,” she added.

Marcos called for a probe into the flood control projects during his fourth State of the Nation Address last month, saying the subpar and ghost projects had worsened the impact of recent cyclones and had brought sufferings to affected communities.

The sumbongsapangulo.ph website has received more than 9,000 reports as of Wednesday. Marcos has so far inspected 11 projects in Marikina, Iloilo, Bulacan and Benguet and has vowed to run after the officials who earned kickbacks and the contractors who colluded with them.

Castro said Marcos’ directive should prod agencies, including the Commission on Audit and the internal revenue and customs bureaus, as well as local governments to conduct their own investigations.

“We cannot deny that some DPWH officials may be involved (in the irregularities) so (the lifestyle checks) may start with them,” the Palace press officer added.

Pressed if DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan still has the trust of Marcos given the recent developments, Castro said: “For now, the President has not mentioned anything, so if there is an action with regard to Secretary Bonoan, let us just wait for it. But as of the moment, his trust is still there.”

PR stunt?

At the same press briefing, Castro refuted the claim of acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte that the investigation into the flood control projects is just a public relations or PR stunt.

“If he is saying this is a PR stunt, he should just watch how it unfolds,” Castro said.

With regard to the claim of Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon that ghost and substandard projects in Bulacan and in Benguet were part of the National Expenditure Program, Castro said accountability is “stricter” on priorities and those funded by the state budget and the President would be more focused on them.

Marcos is also open to talking to Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, who foiled an attempt by a DPWH district engineer to bribe him with P360 million in kickbacks a year from infrastructure projects in his district.

“It would be better if he (Leviste) coordinates with the President so that whoever is the influential person behind (the anomaly) could be charged, not just the district engineer,” Castro said.

She also confirmed that Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who previously alleged that at least 67 lawmakers are using contractors as their “fronts” for flood control projects, has submitted to the President documents on the supposed anomalous projects.

“The President is open to talking with Mayor Magalong. Everyone, especially Mayor Magalong, is welcome to talk to the President about it,” Castro added.

Not resigning

Meanwhile, DPWH chief Bonoan is not bothering himself with the question on having to resign from his post amid the exposés of widespread corruption in his agency.

In an interview over “Headstart” on ANC on Wednesday morning, Bonoan said he was focusing on the instruction of the President to continue investigation into the controversial cornering of 20 percent of P545 billion in flood control projects by 15 contractors, as well as questionable infrastructure projects undertaken from July 2022 to May 2025.

“Well, as I have been saying, I think I still have the instructions of the President to continue the investigations. As I said, I serve at the pleasure of the President,” Bonoan said, indicating he will only leave if fired by the President.

On the matter of the DPWH district engineer who was arrested after reportedly attempting to bribe Batangas Rep. Leviste, Bonoan said he has already issued a preventive suspension order on engineer Abelardo Calalo.

“He will be relieved of his post and suspended for 90 days,” Bonoan said, adding that he had also ordered the documents in Calalo’s office to be secured.

“It is part of our investigation. I think we will focus on the administrative cases that we need to file against him and of course without prejudice to the criminal cases that may be faced against him too, and we are doing it expeditiously as we can,” Bonoan said.

DPWH documents showed that Bonoan had been the one that appointed Calalo as officer-in-charge district engineer of the DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineering Office on Aug. 27, 2024 under DPWH Special Order No. 152.

BAC compromised

According to urban planner Felino Palafox Jr., the issue with anomalous flood control projects stems from the bids and awards committee.

BAC, which governs the public procurement process in every government agency, has been ignoring cheaper and more technically qualified projects, according to the veteran architect.

Palafox cited his firm’s recent experience with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority: “We tried twice to bid at MMDA, and we both lost.”

“The first one, we were cheaper by P4 million, while the second by P8 million. I can’t understand why we lost, even if our technical proposals, I believe, were more competitive and our financial proposals more affordable,” he said.

“I guess we’re not that favored before the bids and awards committee,” he added.

Palafox shared his observation with Bonoan. “I spoke to him when we were both resource speakers in the Senate. I told him, ‘Manny, I believe the bids and awards committee is the most corrupt,’” Palafox recalled.

Bonoan was with Palafox’s team when they developed in 1976 the World Bank-funded Manila Development Planning Project – a document outlining numerous recommendations for future issues facing the metropolis, including disasters, traffic jams, lack of decent housing, garbage problems and water and power crises.

The Public Works chief, according to Palafox, was “good” when he was part of the team and then headed San Miguel Tollways.

But currently, Bonoan seems “overwhelmed by the system,” Palafox said.

The urban planner lamented how difficult it has been to reach out to the current administration, saying he had sent a total of 150 recommendations to President Marcos since taking office in 2022, but Marcos did not respond.

“I even write to him every week and texted him one time, ‘Corruption is worse now because there’s no more factor of fear,’” Palafox revealed.

Palafox has been advising presidents since the time of Marcos’ father. Most of his proposals were approved during the time of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo until her successor, Benigno Aquino III, canceled them.

Independent commission

An anti-corruption group is prodding President Marcos to establish an independent citizens’ commission to oversee investigations into anomalous flood control projects.

Artikulo XI, a watchdog group launched during National Heroes’ Day on Monday, said such a commission would be more trustworthy in uncovering irregularities than Congress, as some lawmakers allegedly have ties with erring contractors.

“An independent citizens’ commission will develop confidence amongst the public,” Jose Virgilio Bautista, secretary-general of the United Nationalist Alliance, said during the “Kapihan sa Manila Bay Forum” on Wednesday.

“President Marcos will make the public his ally in this investigation,” he stressed.

Bautista floated the names of some personalities who are “not identified” with any political camp as potential members of the commission to avoid politicizing the investigation.

Among them are former chief justice Reynato Puno, Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David and newly relieved national police chief Nicolas Torre III.

Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday said President Marcos should lead by example and be the first to undergo lifestyle check.

House deputy minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and House assistant minority leader and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co said that Marcos cannot escape accountability through selective investigations.

“We view President Marcos’ order for lifestyle checks on government officials amid the flood control corruption scandal as a desperate attempt to deflect attention from his own administration’s systemic corruption and lack of transparency,” Tinio and Co said in a joint statement. – With Rainier Allan Ronda, EJ Macababbad, Jose Rodel Clapano