The Philippine National Police (PNP) said authorities are closing in on the remaining fugitives linked to the alleged flood control scam as tracker teams intensified manhunt operations and expanded intelligence gathering efforts.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered all regional police offices and local intelligence units to strengthen coordination and validate new leads to speed up the arrest of the remaining accused.
The move follows the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to ensure accountability in the alleged anomalous flood control scheme earlier exposed by the President.
“We are highly confident that the remaining fugitives will be brought to justice very soon as our tracker teams are working seamlessly with local government units and communities,” Nartatez said.
“The PNP will not let up until all individuals involved in this flood control scam are fully accounted for. The arrest of their cohorts is proof of our relentless pursuit, and it is only a matter of time before these last two fugitives face the law,” he added.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier said nine of the 11 individuals implicated in the P53.9-million flood control scam case in Bulacan had already been arrested.
Those now in custody include contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah Rowena Cruz Discaya; St. Timothy Construction Corp. managing officer Ma. Roma Angeline Discaya Rimando; and former and current Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials Merg Jaron Caparas Laus, Brice Ericson Diaz Hernandez, Jaypee De Leon Mendoza, Norberto De Leon Santos, Juanito Coronel Mendoza and Floralyn Yutuc Simbulan.
Authorities are still pursuing the two remaining suspects, identified as DPWH officials Ernesto Galang and Lorenzo Pagtalunan.
Former House appropriations committee chair and resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co is also facing a warrant of arrest over graft and malversation charges in connection with an allegedly irregular flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
Nartatez said police intelligence units and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group have established significant leads on the possible whereabouts of the fugitives and the network allegedly helping them evade arrest.
“We are monitoring their movements closely and have expanded our operations to coordinate with regional and local police units where they are suspected to be hiding,” he said.