MANILA — Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the final test in the fight against substandard and “ghost” flood control projects lies in the certainty of punishment for those involved, including the so-called big fish.

Lacson said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the launching of the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website have mobilized public involvement in reporting questionable projects nationwide, but accountability remains crucial.

“It took the 4th SONA of the President, followed by the launching of (the) sumbongsapangulo.ph website to get the nation involved in monitoring and reporting substandard and ghost flood control projects all over the country. The final test lies in the ‘logical conclusion,’” Lacson said in a post on X.

In interviews over the weekend, Lacson emphasized that corruption will persist without prosecution, conviction, and imprisonment of those behind anomalous projects.

“I hope there will be big fish that will be charged, prosecuted, convicted and jailed so their example will not be followed. In my law enforcement days, this was called certainty of punishment,” he said in Filipino. “If there is no accountability or certainty of punishment, those involved in corruption will be emboldened to continue — and those who are not may be encouraged to engage in it.”

President Marcos had earlier expressed dismay in his July 28 SONA over the substandard and ghost projects, which he said not only wasted trillions of pesos in taxpayers’ money but also cost lives and property.

On August 20, Lacson delivered a privilege speech detailing corruption in several flood control projects. He noted that more than ₱1.9 trillion had been allocated to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for flood control since 2011, but flooding remains unsolved. At least half of the amount may have been lost to corruption, he added.

While Lacson welcomed public participation in monitoring and reporting through the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” platform, he said it should be expanded to cover all infrastructure projects.