Lacson Scores 'Shameless Hypocrites' Who Applauded President's 'Mahiya Naman Kayo' Remark; Pushes Independent Flood Control Probe

PHILIPPINES, July 31 - Press Release
July 31, 2025

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2025/07/31/lacson-scores-shameless-hypocrites-who-applauded-presidents-mahiya-naman-kayo-remark-pushes-independent-flood-control-probe/
DZRH interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEMtWlAdZK8
ASPN interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqBOn8_6l64

Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson on Thursday scored the "shameless hypocrites" who were among the lawmakers who applauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s "Mahiya naman kayo" pronouncement in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), regarding anomalies in flood control projects.

"I would like to think that the standing ovation during the President's SONA meant that there were still members of Congress whose hands remain unsoiled by grease money from the graft-ridden flood control projects. The others who also applauded were simply shameless hypocrites," he said in a post on X.

In a separate interview on DZRH radio, said the "hypocrites" seemed stunned by the President's remark before joining in the clapping. "They seemed surprised and were looking around before joining the standing ovation and the applauding," he said in Filipino.

Lacson also called for an independent auditing and investigation of the flood control projects, noting that the public will only be too eager to help provide information on the ground.

When asked to comment on the proposal of some congressmen to summon Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials in a congressional inquiry related to the flood control and management projects, he said, "Nakupo."

Citing information shared to him by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Lacson said the cut of lawmakers in infrastructure projects may reach 35 percent - and may reach at least 50 percent for flood control projects.

He added that in the case of Janet Lim-Napoles in the early 2010s, the lawmakers' cut reached 65 percent for ghost projects, with Napoles keeping 35 percent and spending 15 percent for "paperwork."

Lacson noted that in 2022, a lawmaker friend told him there were at least 67 House members who are contractors - and the number may have increased since then, because there are no minutes or records of insertions in the budget in the bicameral conference committee.

"There are no minutes or records. The only sign would be the project in a district with signs showing who proposed it," he said.

Meanwhile, Lacson said the investigation ordered by the President should not be limited to the DPWH, which he noted had been allocated nearly P2 trillion for flood control projects since 2011 - but failed to stop the flooding.

"The President could task government agencies to undertake the probe but there should also be civilians. It cannot be all-government because many perceive the DPWH is involved, and that it may whitewash its findings and give the President a sanitized and untruthful report," he added.

He said it would be better if the government formed an independent body and allowed civilians to participate, adding many will likely volunteer to help out.

"Many people are tired of the corruption and are willing to help, especially civil society organizations and non-government organizations. They are willing to give the information they got from the ground," he said.

"This is a chance for citizens to take up the challenge of the President, for all Filipinos to pitch in. We will also see how serious our government is," he added.

As for the DPWH, he said he hopes DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan would resist pressure from lawmakers to insert their projects - as well as to designate district engineers. In an interview on NET25, he said then DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson had done this during the Aquino administration.

He also noted Singson used online apps to keep updated on the status of any specific project on the ground. "I hope that time will return," he said.

Lacson also said it is time to end the code of silence in the bicameral conference committee. He said he intends to push the passage of his refiled bill institutionalizing public participation in the budget process, especially the bicameral conference committee.

He said his bill was referred to the Senate committee on finance chaired by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, with the committee on electoral reforms chaired by Lacson as the secondary committee.

"If Sen. Gatchalian cannot attend to the bill because he will be busy handling the budget bill, I will ask to be a subcommittee chairman to handle the bill. I'll hold committee hearings and sponsor the bill on the floor," he said.

Lacson, Pinuna ang 'Ipokrito at Ipokrita' na Nakipagpalakpakan sa Pasaring ng Pangulo; Isinulong ang Independent Flood Control Probe

Pinuna ni Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson nitong Huwebes ang mga "ipokrito at ipokrita" na nakisali sa palakpakan sa patama ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na "Mahiya naman kayo" sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA) tungkol sa katiwalian sa flood control projects.

Sa panayam sa DZRH, ipinunto ni Lacson na ang mga "ipokrito" ay nabigla sa sinabi ng Pangulo bago nakisali sa palakpakan. "Nabigla kaya napapalakpak na rin... Ang iba nga pinagmamasdan ko lumilinga-linga bago tumayo eh," aniya.

"Ako gusto ko pa ring maniwala na marami-rami naman doon sa audience na hindi nadumihan ng grasa ng pera ng flood control projects. Marami doon. Kaya ang pumalakpak doon at sumama sa standing ovation totoo yan natutuwa sila. Pero marami din naman doon na nagpalakpak, talagang sabihin nating shameless na ipokrito at ipokrita," dagdag niya.

Nang hiningan ng komento sa panukala ng ilang mambabatas na ipatawag ang opisyal ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sa congressional inquiry sa flood control and management projects, tumugon si Lacson ng: "Nakupo."

Nanawagan din si Lacson na dapat ay "independent" ang pag-audit at pag-imbestiga ng mga flood control projects, lalo na't dahil ang publiko ay handang tumulong dito.

Binanggit ni Lacson ang impormasyon galing kay Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong kung kung saan ang cut ng mambabatas sa infrastructure projects ay aabot ng 35 porsyento - pero aabot ng hindi kukulang sa 50 porsyento para sa flood control projects.

Sa kaso ni Janet Lim-Napoles noong 2010s, ang cut ng mambabatas ay umaabot ng 65 porsyento para sa ghost projects, at 35 porsyento kay Napoles na gagastos ng 15 porsyento para sa pagpapalakad.

Noong 2022, may kaibigang mambabatas si Lacson na nagsabing may 67 miyembro ng Kamara na contractors - at maaaring dumami na ang bilang nila dahil wala namang record o minutes ng pagsingit sa budget sa bicameral conference committee.

"Walang minutes, walang record talaga yan. Ang palatandaan na lang diyan kung ang probinsya o distrito umusbong, doon na lang maiugnay kung sino ang nag-propose," he said.

Samantala, iginiit ni Lacson na ang imbestigasyon na inutos ng Pangulo ay hindi dapat ma-limit sa DPWH, na aniya'y may alokasyon na halos P2 trilyon para sa flood control projects mula 2011 - nguni't hindi pa rin mapigilan ang baha.

"Pwede siguro i-task ng Pangulo yan. Pero dapat may kahalong civilians. Hindi puro taong gobyerno kasi ang perception lalo kung DPWH, kung DPWH din at sangkot ang ibang tauhan, baka ma-whitewash ito, baka ang report na ibigay sa Presidente ay sanitized, hindi makatotohanan," ani Lacson.

Dagdag niya, mas mainam kung gumawa ng "independent body" ang gobyerno at payagan ang sibilyan na makilahok. Aniya, tiyak na maraming magvo-volunteer na tumulong.

"Marami nang pagod sa ating kababayan at willing na tumulong diyan. Lalo ang NGOs and CSOs. Mas maganda may independent body na kung di man sila mismo, tutulong magbigay ng talagang information galing sa ground. Talagang actual ang nakikita nila," aniya.

"So pagkakataon ito sa ating kababayan na i-take up ang challenge ng sinabi ng Pangulo na magtulong-tulong tayo. Tingnan natin gaano kaseryoso ang ating gobyerno," dagdag ng mambabatas.

Para naman sa DPWH, umaasa si Lacson na labanan ni DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan ang pressure ng mambabatas na isingit ang proyekto nila, kahit na mambabatas ang may impluwensya sa pag-designate ng district engineers. Sa panayam sa NET25, binanggit niya na nagawa na ito ni DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson noong administrasyong Aquino.

Dagdag ni Lacson, gumagamit din si Singson ng online apps para makakuha ng update sa status ng proyekto. "Sana mabalik ang panahon na yan," aniya.

Iginiit din ni Lacson na panahon nang tuldukan ang "code of silence" sa bicameral conference committee. Balak niyang isulong ang kanyang panukala na kung saan makikilahok ang publiko sa budget process, at magmasid sa bicameral conference committee.

Ani Lacson, ang panukala ay na-refer sa Senate committee on finance sa pamumuno ni Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, at sa committee on electoral reforms sa pamumuno ni Lacson bilang secondary committee.

"(Kung) hindi maasikaso ni Sen Sherwin dahil kung busy siya sa budget deliberation kasi siya ang finance, hingi ko sa kanya kung pwedeng mag-subcommittee chairman ako. Ako na mag-hear ako rin mag-sponsor sa floor," ani Lacson.

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