THE Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday moved to cite in contempt several government contractors who failed to attend its second hearing on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
At least 14 construction firms sent either their presidents or representatives to the hearing, including some companies not listed among Malacañang’s top flood control contractors.
However, several key figures were notably absent.
Eumir S. Villanueva, president of Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., skipped the session entirely. Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp. president Edgar Acosta was also absent but sent staff in his stead. St. Timothy Construction Corporation president Ma. Roma Angeline D. Rimando was initially marked absent but later appeared.
Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa pushed for absent contractors to be cited in contempt, paving the way for arrest warrants. Committee chair Sen. Rodante Marcoleta approved the motion, stressing it was “in preparation for the eventual issuance of a warrant of arrest.”
The inquiry follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s release of a list naming the country’s top 15 flood control contractors.
Marcos earlier flagged why only these firms cornered around ₱100 billion—roughly 20 percent—of nearly 10,000 flood control projects between July 2022 and May 2025.