Ombudsman to form task force to probe Villar projects

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman will create a task force that will review the infrastructure projects of the Villar family in Bacoor, Cavite and Las Piñas.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the list of projects to be reviewed include the Zapote-Las Piñas River Drive.

Former Senator Cynthia Villar initiated the Zapote-Las Piñas River Drive project, with the Department of Public Works and Highways starting the construction in 2012.

Despite completion, residents continue to experience flooding.

“We are forming a new task force for that, just for Villar itself – ‘yung [the] Zapote River Drive together with the Bacoor properties that were boundaries of the rivers, dinaanan ng [path of the] river. There were improvements made in that area,” Remulla said in a briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

“‘Pag taga-roon ka, ‘pag dumaan ka roon, alam mo kanilang lupa ‘yun,” he said.

[Translation: If you are from there or if you pass there, you will know that it is their property.]

According to a Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism report, “the Las Piñas-Zapote River Drive passes through several Villar-owned businesses and realty in the city, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest.”

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos earlier attributed flooding in the city to the river drive due to narrower waterways. Villar, however, defended the project, saying it decongested traffic.