Metro Manila, Philippines – The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) ordered the freezing of a number of assets, including hundreds of bank accounts, allegedly linked to questionable flood control projects on Friday, Sept. 19.
The AMLC said the Court of Appeals approved the freeze order on Friday, which covered 592 bank accounts, three insurance policies, 73 motor vehicles, and 18 real properties owned by personalities and contractors.
“The sheer magnitude of assets involved reflects the alarming scope of corruption ties to these flood control projects,” AMLC executive director Matthew David said.
David said this would help in filing civil and criminal cases against those suspected with ill-gotten wealth.
On Tuesday, the AMLC froze the assets of 26 people, including contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya, and dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways officials Mark Arevalo, Henry Alcantara, and Brice Hernandez.
DepEd, DA infra audit
Meanwhile, the education and agriculture departments have directed audits on infrastructure projects.
The Department of Education has ordered the submission of reports on unfinished school buildings.
“In light of recent reports on ‘ghost’ on uncompleted school buildings, the Department of Education Central Office reminds all field offices of their responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in school infrastructure projects,” Education Assistant Secretary Aurelio Bartolome wrote in a Sept. 12 document.
Bartolome told regional and division offices to identify irregularities and highlight cases such as prolonged stoppage, incomplete delivery, or structural defects. They should also coordinate with the DPWH to reconcile records.
On the other hand, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered a sweeping audit on farm-to-market road projects since 2021, expected to be completed by year-end.
The Department of Agriculture said the government is targeting to build 131,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads.
“Reports as of July show roughly 70,000 kilometers have been completed — and about 61,000 kilometers now considered as backlog or pending validation,” the agency said.
It explained that the projects were commissioned, bid out, and constructed by the DPWH, but the farm-to-market roads were identified and validated by the DA.
Tiu Laurel said lawmakers may pass a law mandating a priority list for farm-to-market road projects and move away from the arbitrary selection of locations to build roads.
