Flood Control Scandal Deepens: UST Alumni Implicated in Multi-Billion Peso Scheme
Manila, Philippines – A widening investigation into alleged corruption surrounding flood control projects in the Philippines has ensnared three University of Santo tomas (UST) alumni, including prominent political figures. The accusations, surfacing amidst ongoing congressional probes, center on allegations of kickbacks and misuse of billions of pesos allocated to address the country’s persistent flooding issues.
Former Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and former House Appropriations Chair Zaldy Co are among those named in connection with the scandal. Both lawmakers are facing scrutiny following sworn statements from wealthy contractors Sarah and Pacifico Discaya, who claim to have distributed up to 30% of project budgets as kickbacks to legislators.the Discayas,principals of nine construction firms,reportedly secured ₱31 billion in flood control contracts.
The allegations come after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly condemned corruption within the flood control sector during his recent State of the Nation Address, following a series of devastating typhoons that caused widespread flooding across the nation.
Villanueva Denies Allegations of P600 Million Kickback
According to testimony presented to the House of Representatives by former bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, Senator Villanueva was allegedly involved in anomalous projects in Balagtas and Bocaue, Bulacan, in 2023. hernandez claims villanueva received ₱600 million in flood control funds, with a 30% kickback arrangement facilitated by Bulacan provincial engineer Henry Alcantara, and allegedly delivered to Villanueva’s residence.
Villanueva, a 1996 Commerce graduate specializing in Economics and former star player for the UST Growling Tigers basketball team, vehemently denies the accusations, labeling them a “demolition job” and promising to provide evidence of his innocence. He served as a partylist representative for Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption starting in 2001, later becoming Director general of TESDA in 2010, before being elected to the Senate in 2016 and subsequently serving as Senate Majority Leader until a recent leadership change.
Co Accused of Demanding 25% kickback
Zaldy Co, who earned a Master’s in Business Administration from UST-Legazpi in 1998, is also under fire. The Discayas’ sworn statement to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee alleges that Co, as chair of the House Committee on appropriations – a position overseeing the national budget – demanded a 25% kickback for approving projects. Further accusations from Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco claim Co proposed ₱13.8 billion in insertions to the 2025 national budget.
Co began his political career as a representative of the Ako Bicol partylist in 2019.
Investigations Continue
The unfolding scandal raises serious questions about openness and accountability in the allocation and implementation of vital infrastructure projects. Congressional investigations are ongoing, with lawmakers vowing to uncover the full extent of the alleged corruption and hold those responsible accountable.
Further Reading:
* [Discayas tag legislators in flood control scam | the varsitarian](https://varsitarian.net/discayas-tag-legislators-in-flood-control-scam/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMyZ9RleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFFS0VQNTBta3VCNWRDaWdEAR5WoBgUd0YfvFgt7kKhkISVi4_DMvnTaneCWpRryW2ckSJDjlZq3cIP
