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Marc Jayson Cayabyab - The Philippine Star
December 28, 2025 | 12:00am
Senator Ping Lacson on November 20, 2025.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson yesterday expressed disappointment as the government failed to fulfill its promise of catching the “big fish” in the flood control corruption scandal before Christmas.
“Who else will believe in the government if promises were not kept and fulfilled? Some have been jailed, but not those our people want to see behind bars,” Lacson said in a dwIZ interview yesterday.
“I share the disappointment of the citizens about what’s happening,” he added, noting that the Senate Blue Ribbon committee probe he led had already uncovered damning evidence of corruption.
Christmas went by with only flood control contractor Sarah Discaya behind bars over the alleged P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
But no senator, congressman or Cabinet official have been put behind bars even as President Marcos said high-profile suspects will be jailed soon and will “not have a merry Christmas.”
So far, among lawmakers, only resigned Ako Bicol rep. Zaldy Co was charged before the Sandiganbayan, which ordered his arrest, for an anomalous Oriental Mindoro flood control project. But he remains at large abroad.
Lacson lamented the slow pace of the investigation that culminated in the untimely passing of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, who allegedly committed suicide over perceived pressure on her not to tell all.
Lacson said Cabral and her lawyer met with him about possibly testifying during the Blue Ribbon committee probe, where he had wanted Cabral to testify about the alleged “allocables” or budget ceilings set aside for lawmaker-proponents of flood control projects.
While she did not participate in the investigation, Cabral left Lacson with some of her files, such as a Dec. 27, 2024 special allotment release order for P50 billion in unprogrammed funds, P30 billion of which went to mostly ghost flood control projects.
