Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla declares Davao the “epicenter” of the flood-control scam, then almost in the same breath, admits he is having difficulty obtaining evidence because people supposedly refuse to talk.
So, let’s get this straight: the conclusion is already in, but the evidence is still missing. What a convenient way to investigate.
And the Ombudsman is hardly helpless.
Ghost projects, substandard construction and grossly overpriced contracts leave paper trails, procurement records, payments, plans, specifications, inspections and engineering evidence.
You don’t need a choir of whistleblowers to establish whether a project exists, whether it was properly built, or whether the government paid far more than it should have.
If the evidence is there, investigate it. If it isn’t, don’t manufacture a conclusion and call it an investigation.
Otherwise, this starts looking less like following the evidence and more like finding evidence to fit the conclusion.
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