Sen. Lacson's "Partial" Report -- Speculating on the President's SONA speech on Monday.
Sen. Lacson's "Partial" Report -- Speculating on the President's SONA speech on Monday
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™
July 26, 2026
A detailed breakdown of the partial committee report on "The Philippines Under Water" conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Detailed Outline of the Committee Report
I. Preliminaries
A. Context: Details the country's geographical vulnerability to floods and the government's response through the Flood Management Program (FMP), noting that over P1.939 trillion was appropriated for flood management from 2011 to 2025. It highlights the exponential rise in Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) used for flood control. It also covers President Marcos Jr.'s SONA condemning flood control corruption, leading to a nationwide audit and the discovery that 15 contractors monopolized 20% of the budget.
B. Privilege Speeches in the Senate:** Summarizes speeches by Senators Panfilo Lacson, Jinggoy Estrada, Erwin Tulfo, and Rodante Marcoleta, which exposed the "pie-sharing" scheme, ghost projects, casino money laundering, and the complicity of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB).
C. Coordination with Various Agencies:** Outlines the Committee's coordination with the DOJ, NBI, and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to file cases and freeze assets.
II. Salient Points of the Seven (7) Senate Blue Ribbon Public Hearings
1st Hearing (Aug 19, 2025):** Focused on the concentration of contracts to 15 contractors, blacklisting evasion, undercapitalized contractors, and the initial breakdown of kickbacks.
2nd Hearing (Sep 1, 2025):** Investigated Discaya-owned firms securing P31 billion in contracts, anomalies in PCAB's licensing, and contractors bidding against themselves.
3rd Hearing (Sep 8, 2025):** Exposed gaps in DPWH monitoring systems (PCMA), congressional insertions (specifically by Rep. Zaldy Co), the extortion system described by the Discayas, and the practice of "license renting" by contractors like SYMS Construction.
4th Hearing (Sep 18, 2025):** Covered systemic corruption acknowledged by DPWH Sec. Dizon, "in-house contracting" schemes by the Bulacan 1st DEO, and testimonies regarding massive cash deliveries.
5th Hearing (Sep 23, 2025):** Centered on the sworn affidavit of former District Engineer Henry Alcantara, detailing proponent fees (kickbacks) given to senators and congressmen, systemic substandard construction, casino money laundering operations, and rigged bidding.
6th Hearing (Sep 25, 2025):** Highlighted testimonies from former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo and Orly Guteza, who directly implicated high-ranking officials and detailed the delivery of suitcases of money to politicians' residences.
7th Hearing (Nov 14, 2025):** Discussed the debate on restitution for state witnesses, the falsified affidavit of Orly Guteza, and Usec. Bernardo's second supplemental affidavit heavily implicating multiple senators.
Findings & Executive Synthesis**
Part I: Concludes that the Flood Control Program failed despite hundreds of billions in public spending due to a lack of a master plan, illogical misalignment of funds, and the proliferation of 421 suspected "ghost projects".
Part II: Describes the anatomy of the anomaly as a systemic, interconnected, and parasitic ecosystem of corruption involving actors from the legislature, executive agencies, and the private sector.
Note: Parts III, IV, and V are summarized in the executive synthesis as covering the evolution of the pork barrel scam, a deep dive into the Bulacan 1st DEO microcosm, and the dire consequences of institutionalized plunder, respectively).*
***
Salient Points of the Report
1. Unprecedented Misuse of Funds and Unprogrammed Appropriations
Despite allocating P1.939 trillion over 15 years, the flood control program failed to protect vulnerable provinces. More than 50% of this amount (over P1 trillion) was rushed in just three years (2023-2025). The government systematically abused Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA), bypassing regular budget scrutiny to fund P151.4 billion in flood control projects.
2. The 40-20-20-20 "Pie-Sharing" Scheme
The report details a highly organized extortion and kickback system. Out of a project's total budget, 20-25% went directly to the proponent (politician), 8-10% to DPWH officials, 5-6% for bidding expenses, and other cuts for taxes and royalties. As a result, only 22% to 30% of the allocated funds were actually used for construction, inevitably leading to substandard or ghost projects.
*****************
3. "Basura" (Suitcases of Cash)
Kickbacks were so massive they were physically delivered in luggages or suitcases, referred to by insiders as "basura". Testimonies detailed multiple deliveries of suitcases, each containing up to P50 million, distributed using fleets of vans to politicians' homes, hotels, and parking lots.
4. Ghost Projects and "In-House" Contracting
Investigations revealed at least 421 suspected ghost projects nationwide. DPWH engineers bypassed private contractors through "in-house contracting," where they rented private contractors' licenses for a 3% royalty fee to execute projects themselves, allowing them to pocket the massive excess funds and falsify completion reports.
5. Casino Money Laundering by DPWH Officials
Lower-level DPWH officials, dubbed the "BGC Boys," amassed hundreds of millions in illicit wealth. To hide the money, they engaged in massive casino money laundering operations. For example, District Engineer Henry Alcantara converted P1.42 billion into casino chips, while ADE Brice Hernandez converted P1.38 billion, using fake IDs to bypass laws prohibiting government employees from gambling.
List of Individuals Who Should Face Criminal Complaints
The committee report establishes a sprawling network of actors whose direct actions, receipt of kickbacks, and falsification of documents warrant severe criminal prosecution for corruption, plunder, graft, and malversation.
---
*** credit to the owners of the photo & articles otherwise cited
If you like my any of my concept research, writing explorations, art works and/or simple writings please support me by sending me a coffee treat at my paypal amielgeraldroldan.paypal.me or GXI 09053027965. Much appreciate and thank you in advance.
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™' s connection to the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) serves as a defining pillar of his professional journey, most recently celebrated through the launch of the ACC Global Alumni Network.As a 2003 Starr Foundation Grantee, Roldan participated in a transformative ten-month fellowship in the United States. This opportunity allowed him to observe contemporary art movements, engage with an international community of artists and curators, and develop a new body of work that bridges local and global perspectives.Featured Work: Bridges Beyond Borders His featured work, Bridges Beyond Borders: ACC's Global Cultural Collaboration, has been chosen as the visual identity for the newly launched ACC Global Alumni Network.Symbol of Connection: The piece represents a private collaborative space designed to unite over 6,000 ACC alumni across various disciplines and regions.Artistic Vision: The work embodies the ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue and cultural exchange to foster a more harmonious world.Legacy of Excellence: By serving as the face of this initiative, Roldan's art highlights the enduring impact of the ACC fellowship on his career and his role in the global artistic community.Just featured at https://www.pressenza.com/2026/01/the-asian-cultural-council-global-alumni-network-amiel-gerald-a-roldan/
He is a Filipino multidisciplinary visual artist, printmaker, painter, independent curator, researcher, writer, and cultural worker whose practice spans contemporary art, curatorial work, and cultural advocacy. He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.
I'm trying to complement my writings with helpful inputs and prompts. Bear with me as I am treating this blog as repositories and drafts.
Please comment and tag if you like my compilations visit www.amielroldan.blogspot.com or www.amielroldan.wordpress.com
and comments at
amiel_roldan@outlook.com
amielgeraldroldan@gmail.com
A multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.
He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.His practice appears to represent several interconnected concerns:
Cultural work as artistic practice. Roldan has argued that the labor of curating, organizing exhibitions, teaching, documentation, and cultural administration should be understood as creative work rather than merely support work. This perspective has been reflected in his writings and exhibitions.
Social and political engagement. His artworks frequently address politics, religion, faith, denial, courage, social inequality, and the everyday experiences of Filipinos. He has stated that he draws inspiration from Filipino cultural practices while approaching painting, printmaking, and installation from a conceptual perspective.
Printmaking and conceptual art. Roldan is particularly recognized for his printmaking, with works shown internationally, including exhibitions in Japan and France. His practice also encompasses painting, photography, installation, and curatorial research.
International cultural exchange. A significant milestone in his career was receiving an Asian Cultural Council fellowship in 2003, which enabled him to undertake research and create work in the United States while engaging with artists and curators internationally.
More broadly, Roldan's work represents an attempt to bridge artistic production, curatorial practice, scholarship, and cultural activism. His writings often emphasize postcolonial discourse, cultural memory, and the ethics of artistic collaboration, positioning the artist not only as a maker of objects but also as a builder of cultural infrastructure.
In the Philippine contemporary art context, he can be understood as representing the figure of the artist-curator-cultural worker—someone who contributes both through making artworks and through developing exhibitions, mentoring artists, and fostering institutional and independent cultural initiatives.
Recent show at ILOMOCA
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16qUTDdEMD
https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go?messageThreadUrn=urn%3Ali%3AmessageThreadUrn%3A&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pressenza.com%2F2025%2F05%2Fcultural-workers-not-creative-ilomoca-may-16-2025%2F&trk=flagship-messaging-android
Asian Cultural Council Alumni Global Networkhttps://alumni.asianculturalcouncil.org/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPlR6NjbGNrA-VG_2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHoy6hXUptbaQi5LdFAHcNWqhwblxYv_wRDZyf06-O7Yjv73hEGOOlphX0cPZ_aem_sK6989WBcpBEFLsQqr0kdg
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ started Independent Curatorial Manila™ as a nonprofit philanthropy while working for institutions simultaneously early on.
The Independent Curatorial Manila™ or ICM™ is a curatorial services and guide for emerging artists in the Philippines. It is an independent/voluntary services entity and aims to remain so. Selection is through proposal and a prerogative temporarily. Contact above for inquiries.
LanguageLoginCreate connection,Value conversation.For youWho we areMeet the teamICM cultureHow to applyStoriesContact usLanguageManage your cookie preferencesPrivacy & Cookie PoliciesTerms of useGlobal code of conduct & ethicsAll rights reserved Amiel Gerald Roldan® 2026***Disclaimer:This work is my original writing unless otherwise cited; any errors or omissions are my responsibility.The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organization or institution.Furthermore, the commentary reflects my personal interpretation of publicly available data and is offered as fair comment on matters of public interest. It does not allege criminal liability or wrongdoing by any individual.
Comments
Post a Comment