Saying the public must know whether the projects were truly for flood control or to raise private land values, an assistant majority leader on Wednesday backed the Office of the Ombudsman’s creation of a task force to probe the multibillion-peso Zapote River Drive and related projects in Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Bacoor.
The task force, announced by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla during a joint press briefing with Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Chair Andres Reyes Jr., will examine whether the alignment and implementation of these publicly funded projects were consistent with their intended purpose of flood mitigation.
Remulla noted that several properties along the perimeter of the area are owned by the Villar family. He stressed that the task force will establish clarity on the financial responsibility behind the development, saying, ‘We will determine who paid for what. It’s as simple as that.’
With this, Santos said the Ombudsman’s move validates long-standing concerns raised by residents and local sectors regarding the placement of river walls, access roads, and other flood control structures.
‘The Ombudsman has made it clear-this warrants scrutiny. The public deserves to know whether these projects were truly meant for flood mitigation or if they were designed to enhance private land values,’ Santos said.
The lawmaker said Zapote River Drive stretches more than 11 kilometers from Bacoor through Las Piñas toward Muntinlupa.
Santos said the new review is ‘long overdue.’
‘We are talking about multi-administration, multi-billion peso projects. If public works consistently end up benefiting the same private interests, then transparency is not just necessary-it’s a public right,’ he said.
Santos also underscored the importance of full cooperation from all stakeholders involved.
‘This is not about politics. This is about accountability. If everything was aboveboard, then opening records, contracts, land titles, and development plans should not be a problem. Transparency is the minimum,’ Santos said.
He added that the investigation is crucial for communities that continue to experience flooding despite significant government funding for mitigation projects.
‘The question is simple: Did these projects truly serve the public interest? Residents deserve honest answers,’ Santos said, noting that he will continue to monitor the probe to ensure it proceeds ‘without interference, whitewashing, or delay.’