Flood control projects in Leyte and Eastern Samar—intended to shield vulnerable communities from deadly floods—are now mired in controversy as lawmakers, contractors, and officials face mounting scrutiny over alleged corruption, delays, and conflicting reports.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on flood control projects took a dramatic turn when contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and his wife Sarah Discaya accused several legislators and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials of demanding hefty kickbacks from infrastructure contracts.
Among the names they cited were two with strong ties to Leyte: An-Waray Party-list Representative Florencio Gabriel “Bem” Noel, whose base is in Eastern Visayas, and Quezon City Representative Marvin Rillo, who allegedly invoked his close ties to House Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte.
The Discayas alleged that lawmakers like Noel and Rillo, along with other officials, required contractors to surrender between 10% and 25% of project costs in exchange for smooth project implementation.
The revelations sent ripples across Leyte and Eastern Samar, regions where billions of pesos worth of flood control projects have been implemented in recent years.
Discrepancies in Project Reports
Adding to the uproar, Congressman Sheen Gonzales recently flagged glaring inconsistencies in the official DPWH records.
In a joint House committee hearing on public accounts, public works, and good government, Gonzales noted that while DPWH’s official website reported over 80% completion of projects in Llorente and Hernani, Eastern Samar, ground inspections revealed otherwise.
“At Barangays Batang and Garawon in Hernani, progress is less than 5%. In So-ong, Llorente, the project only began last month,” Gonzales reported.
DPWH Region 8 Director Engr. Edgar Tabacon admitted that delays in project starts and outdated data on the website contributed to the discrepancy.
Still, Gonzales emphasized the agency’s responsibility: “The DPWH must ensure timely completion, durability, and quality—our communities cannot wait for promises while floods continue to destroy homes.”
Minority Floor Leader Calls for NBI Probe
Meanwhile, Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino Libanan has formally sought the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) assistance in probing all flood control projects in Eastern Samar.
In a press conference held at the 4Ps headquarters in Borongan on September 6, Libanan revealed that he had already written to the NBI, urging a sweeping probe covering projects funded from 2019 to 2025.
Among the projects he flagged were the ₱3-billion San Rafael Rock-netting Project, a ₱192.895-million flood control project in Brgy. Divinubo, Borongan, a ₱186-million project in Brgy. Siha, Borongan, the ₱117-million project in Brgy. So-ong, Llorente and another delayed project in Hernani, Eastern Samar
“Ubos ta ini igpapaimbestigar” Libanan said. “Experts must determine the truth so that those responsible can be held accountable.”
NBI-8 Regional Director Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr. assured the public that cases will be filed if their investigation confirms irregularities.
A National Scandal with Local Impact
The convergence of the Discayas’ explosive testimony, Gonzales’ findings, and Libanan’s NBI request has placed Leyte and Eastern Samar at the center of a national scandal.
For ordinary residents, however, the issue cuts deeper than politics. Each year, typhoons submerge farmlands and barangays, displacing thousands of families.
Billions of pesos have been poured into flood control infrastructure across Eastern Visayas, yet many communities remain unprotected.
Civil society groups argue that this gap between budget and reality underscores the cost of corruption: “Every peso lost to anomalies means another family exposed to disaster,” one local advocate remarked.
Then what?
The Senate probe is expected to continue, with the Discayas offering to serve as state witnesses. Parallel investigations by Congress, the NBI, and possibly an independent body formed by Malacañang could further unravel the network of alleged payoffs and project mismanagement.
For now, Leyte’s political and business landscape is under intense scrutiny. With Romualdez’s name invoked, Rep. Bem Noel directly implicated, and Gonzales and Libanan raising red flags, the scandal strikes at the heart of Eastern Visayas politics.
What remains uncertain is whether the storm brewing in committee rooms and investigation halls will finally deliver what residents have long demanded: flood control projects that do more than exist on paper, and truly safeguard lives when the next typhoon arrives.
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