MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the recovery of public funds allegedly stolen through fraudulent flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Malacañang said.

“Hindi sapat na masampahan lang ng kaso ang mga sangkot sa maanomalyang flood control projects,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a Palace briefing. “Hindi rin sapat na makulong ang mga ito dahil ang nais ng Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ay maibalik ang pera ng taumbayan.”

Castro added that government agencies acted swiftly to recover the embezzled funds, leading to the freezing of bank assets and properties of individuals implicated in the projects.

“Ayon kay (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, ang pag-freeze ng mga assets ng mga involved sa flood control projects ay kabilang sa seryosong hangarin ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na makuha ang mga ito upang maibalik ang pera sa taumbayan,” she said.

As part of the recovery efforts, the DPWH requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze around PhP5 billion in assets registered to companies linked to Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co. The agency also sought to freeze nearly half a billion pesos worth of luxury vehicles owned by contractors and other individuals implicated in the irregularities.

President Marcos first ordered the investigation of the anomalous projects during his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, denouncing systemic corruption in vital infrastructure initiatives. Since then, he has established the Sumbong sa Pangulo website for public reports and complaints, directed relevant government agencies to act, and created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to investigate and determine accountability for the misuse of public funds.