CAYETANO URGES HUNT FOR MASTERMINDS BEHIND MASSIVE, SYSTEMIC FLOOD CONTROL SCAM

SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday urged authorities to focus on identifying and prosecuting the masterminds — not just “low-lying fruits” — behind the “massive and systemic” corruption in flood control projects.

In three separate media interviews on October 8, 2025, Cayetano said the scale and reach of the anomaly indicate that influential figures orchestrated the scheme.

He warned that the scheme will persist unless these “masterminds” are named and held accountable.

“Ang working theory ko, may tumingin sa buong pondo ng Pilipinas at sinabing: ‘Pwedeng may gawin ako sa pondo na ito. Benta ko ito.’ At may kasama siya roon,” he said.

“Kasi kung makikita mo, nationwide meron biglang ghost projects lahat ng lugar. Ibang usapan ‘yun,” he added.

Cayetano warned that as long as these masterminds remain at large, they will continue to derail ongoing investigations to evade prosecution.

“Ang mastermind na kumita ng tens of billions, maybe hundreds of billions, guguluhin niya talaga ito,” he said.

Cayetano cited the absence of a complete list of ghost flood control projects nationwide three months since the President first mentioned the anomaly in his State of the Nation Address as proof that those behind the scheme are actively obstructing investigations.

Instead, investigations have so far targeted only “low-hanging fruit,” he said, while the real perpetrators remain untouched.

“All the mastermind has to do is i-yoyo niya lang lahat ‘to, mag-grow-grow ‘yung frustrations ng people. And then by the end of next year, kanya-kanya nang propaganda that the hope is the candidate in 2028,” he said.

“Habang ang nagtitirahan ay kapwa congressman, kapwa senator, hindi na-e-expose ‘yung mastermind, ‘yan ang play niyan,” he added.

Cayetano called on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to begin by compiling a complete list of all flood control projects from 2024 and 2025, identify the localities of the suspected masterminds, and summon them one by one until the “queen bee” behind the scheme is identified.

“Paano mo hahabulin ‘yung mastermind? Kailangan may working theory ka. Paano mo mabubuo ‘yung theory na ‘yun kung tama o hindi? Simple lang. Kumuha ka ng kung saan ‘yung mga ghost. ‘Pag lumabas y’ung listahan na ‘yan, isa-isa imbitahin ‘yan,” he said.

“Unahin natin listahan ng 2025 at 2024. Pagka ‘yan nilabas ang pondo at ghost, huli na kaagad ‘yan. Kakanta na kaagad ‘yan,” he added.

“Parang bee ito. ‘Pag hindi mo nakuha ‘yung queen bee, manganganak nang manganganak lang ‘yan,” he said.