Ombudsman investigates alleged flood control corruption in Davao City

The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating alleged corruption within flood control projects in Davao City. During House Committee on Appropriations deliberations regarding the Ombudsman’s proposed budget, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla described Davao City as the “epicenter” of a corruption ecosystem related to flood control projects prior to the Marcos administration.

Remulla noted that investigators are facing difficulties due to an environment where information is hard to obtain, stating, “It’s hard to get information, so many people don’t want to talk, but we don’t stop.” He cautioned that while the city is a primary focus, the investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent and mechanics of the alleged schemes, and may expand to other provinces.

Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte challenged the characterization, urging the Ombudsman to review specific Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) records before reaching conclusions. Duterte stated he has access to project records from 2020 to 2022 and offered to provide them to investigators to ensure they are working from the same data.