By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should be held accountable for alleged irregularities in multi-billion-peso flood control projects, stressing that as Chief Executive, he sits at the top of the government chain of command.
“If there is someone to be blamed, that would be him,” Mayor Duterte said in an interview with Alvin & Tourism during his visit to his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, at The Hague, Netherlands, on Monday, August 25.
Mayor Duterte noted that Marcos highlighted the implementation of 5,500 flood mitigation projects during his second State of the Nation Address. He argued that the president failed to instill discipline among government agencies and lawmakers involved in infrastructure allocations.
“He (the president) allowed this to happen for three years. You are the president, you signed the budget, and now you are shifting the blame to others, the congressmen, who are also under your leadership,” he said in the local dialect.
Mayor Duterte’s remarks came as the Senate intensified its probe into alleged “ghost” and questionable projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Blue Ribbon Committee has been scrutinizing companies that cornered billions of pesos in flood control contracts since 2022. Among those flagged was R.A. Pahati Construction & Supply Inc., linked to Davao de Oro Second District Rep. Jhong Ceniza.
Corporate records list Ceniza and his wife, Jella Pahati Ceniza, as incorporators of the R.A. Pahati Construction & Supply Inc., which secured at least P1.41 billion worth of DPWH projects between 2022 and 2025.
These included a P35-million revetment along Mabo Creek leading to Kingking River in Pantukan, Davao de Oro, and a P95-million project along Matilao River in 2023, while Ceniza was still mayor of Pantukan, raising concerns over a possible conflict of interest.
The company also won contracts in Davao and other provinces, including the ongoing P150-million rehabilitation of the Davao River revetment in Barangay Mandug in 2024, a P86.8-million flood control project in Asuncion town in Davao del Norte in 2022, and 16 other projects worth more than P850 million in Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Camarines Sur, and Laguna.
Despite these contracts, R.A. Pahati was not among DPWH’s top 15 contractors by project value but was flagged by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who raised the possibility of ghost projects funded through flood control allocations.
Ceniza denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the accusations as politically motivated. “These are old issues hurled at me during the last elections. I was never involved in any ghost projects. If my name came up, it was because of politics, not anomalies,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate has issued subpoenas for 10 contractors who skipped last week’s hearing. Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed that the orders have been signed and will be served immediately.
Among those summoned are Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders, linked to alleged ghost projects in Bulacan, and Marjorie Samidan of MG Samidan Construction, which bagged P5.02 billion worth of contracts despite only P250,000 in paid-up capital.
Lawrence Lubiano of Centerways Construction, Sara Discaya of Alpha and Omega General Contractor, and Edgar Acosta of Hi-Tone Construction, among others, were also ordered to appear.
Five contractors have testified before the committee, including representatives of Legacy Construction Corp., QM Builders, EGC Construction, Triple 8 Construction, and Road Edge Trading & Development Services.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada warned that contractors who ignore Senate summons may face arrest.
