Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senate President Pro Tempore, welcomed the move of the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct lifestyle checks on 26 members of the House of Representatives allegedly involved as contractors in government projects.
“It is a good development. If the Ombudsman has names and proof, it should investigate them because that is a clear conflict of interest,” Lacson said in an interview on Radio DZBB.
“Imagine, you insert projects in the budget for projects where you are the contractor,” he added.
The lifestyle checks were ordered by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla following reports that some lawmakers may have business interests tied to government contracts, raising potential conflict-of-interest concerns.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano earlier said the probe was based on the lawmakers’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) obtained by the agency.
Under Republic Act 6713, public officials are required to avoid conflicts of interest and maintain a lifestyle consistent with their lawful income.
Lacson also recalled previous disclosures on alleged irregularities in flood control projects, citing testimonies from former Department of Public Works and Highways officials, including Henry Alcantara and Roberto Bernardo, in connection with the issue.
He noted that the investigation could help shed light on possible anomalies in the allocation and implementation of government-funded projects.