Manila: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed that 14 flood control projects under scrutiny are "ghost" or non-existent, as uncovered during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's probe into alleged flood control irregularities. DOJ officer-in-charge Sec. Fredderick Vida revealed that while some cases have progressed to the Sandiganbayan, others remain in preliminary investigation stages.

According to Philippines News Agency, Vida explained that the issuance of arrest warrants will depend on the courts once the Ombudsman approves the relevant information. Prosecutors are proceeding cautiously before recommending cases for arrest warrants, emphasizing the necessity for evidence to endure judicial examination.

Vida highlighted the importance of narrowing down the number of suspect projects, noting limited government resources and time constraints. He suggested that if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) could confirm that out of 10,000 projects, 9,800 are not ghost projects, it would significantly reduce the scope of investigation.

During the hearing, Sen. Erwin Tulfo pointed out that discrepancies between the Multi-Year Planning and Scheduling (MYPS) system and actual project locations complicate the identification of ghost projects. Errors in grid coordinates have delayed arrest warrants as authorities work to ensure that only substantiated cases reach the courts.

DPWH officials admitted that validation is time-consuming as investigators verify whether projects are truly non-existent or inaccurately mapped. DPWH Undersecretary Ricardo Bernabe stated that 421 projects are currently undergoing site validation to confirm that those brought before the Office of the Ombudsman and courts are indeed ghost projects.