Lacson: Documents reveal ‘deep-seated’ corruption in infra projects
By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Thursday expressed dismay over the extent of corruption in the government’s infrastructure program.
“Reviewing the piles of ‘classified’ DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] documents which I shared with my staff, we all wondered aloud if the more appropriate question to ask is, ‘Who is not?’ rather than, ‘Who is guilty?’ So sad to realize how widely corrupt our government infrastructure program has gone,” Lacson said in a post on X.
Lacson made the remark after reviewing with his staff several “classified” documents from the DPWH, which he had earlier flagged for systemic irregularities in flood control and other infrastructure projects.
He cited DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon’s initial findings that at least 421 out of about 8,000 flood control projects inspected by the DPWH, Department of Economy, Planning and Development, Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines were “ghost projects.”
The senator also noted Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s revelation that over PHP10 billion worth of farm-to-market roads funded under the 2023 and 2024 national budgets were “extremely overpriced,” with one project reportedly costing 23 times more than the standard price set by the DPWH and others marked up by as much as 70 percent.
In his privilege speeches last August and September, Lacson bared that some DPWH officials pocketed public funds and even gambled away taxpayers’ money in casinos.
He also exposed several money-making schemes within the agency, including those involving lower-level personnel.
Lacson said the evidence gathered from his privilege speeches and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings had been turned over to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the Department of Justice for prosecution. (PNA)
Cornyn and Paxton could each win their hotly contested Texas Senate GOP primary, a look how
By Jack Fink
Updated on: April 13, 2025 / 4:32 PM CDT / CBS Texas
Eleven months before the March primary election in Texas, Republican Sen. John Cornyn and his newly announced challenger, Attorney General Ken Paxton, are trashing each other’s records.
Analysts have said the candidates must raise a lot of money to get their message out in this large state. While analysts give Cornyn the advantage in fundraising, they give Paxton the advantage when it comes to his support among the grassroots, who are more likely to vote in the primary.
“The fact that primaries tend to play to the more activist, more energized, more ideological base of a given political party gives Paxton a leg up,” said SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson. “I could easily see either candidate emerging, but I think Paxton feels pretty good about his chances of running this sort of insurgent campaign given the nature of the Texas Republican primary electorate. Those are exactly the people most enamored with Ken Paxton. I think he knows that. I think he realizes that gives him a realistic chance of prevailing in a primary contest. I think that’s why he’s thrown his hat into the ring.”
Cornyn has faced multiple primary challengers during his four terms in office. But as he seeks his fifth term, he’s never had to face a serious challenge like the one Paxton poses. While many in the grassroots vote in the primaries, Wilson said the Senator will need to attract Republicans who often don’t vote but do show up for the general election.
“I think the challenge for Sen. Cornyn is going to be to broaden the electorate and to get more participation than you’d typically see in a primary contest. He’s going to need to make this a very high engagement primary where a broad cross-section of Texas Republicans show up to vote – not just the most ideological activists,” he said.
That’s where Cornyn’s fundraising prowess may be helpful.
“He’ll spend a lot of money on getting out the vote, he’ll spend a lot of money on television advertising,” Wilson said. “He’ll spend a lot of money really demonizing Ken Paxton, trying to paint him as a dangerous radical, corrupt because his key for retaining his seat and retaining the Republican nomination is going to paint Paxton as undesirable and outside the mainstream.”
When asked if that’s Cornyn’s best focus and strategy to hold Paxton off, Wilson said, “I think it’s really his only strategy forward.”
Whoever wins the March primary will become the Republican nominee and face a Democrat. So far, former Dallas Congressman Colin Allred has said he is strongly considering running for the Cornyn seat. Allred lost to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in last year’s general election.
