House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio has formally requested the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate flood control projects worth approximately P4.4 billion in the first district of Davao City. In his letter to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, Tinio cited irregularities including overlapping contracts, double funding, and missing project details.
Details of the Alleged Irregularities
According to Tinio, his office reviewed 121 flood control projects implemented from 2019 to 2022 under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Of these, 80 contracts were flagged with red flags, amounting to several billion pesos. The lawmaker urged the Ombudsman to conduct a physical inspection of the projects.
Key Red Flags Identified
- Overlapping contracts for similar scopes of work
- Double funding from multiple sources
- Missing or incomplete project documentation
Tinio noted that many of the flagged projects were awarded to Genesis88, a company owned by Glenn Escandor, former sports adviser to ex-President Rodrigo Duterte. The representative of Davao City's First District from 2019 to 2022 was Paolo Duterte.
Tinio expressed hope that the Ombudsman would act on the complaint, as he had previously raised the matter with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which has since been dissolved.
