JV: Let’s unmask ‘mafia’ in housing

The Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement will hold a hearing on Monday next week to look into the reported irregularities in some of the government housing projects that are supposed to help displaced families during typhoons and man-made calamities.

Yesterday, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who chairs the committee, said he suspects there is a mafia-like group operating behind government housing projects for typhoon victims that is why some of these are substandard.

Ejercito said he would personally ask these developers tapped by the government to build resettlement houses for the victims to ascertain their possible liabilities over reported irregularities in these housing projects. The inquiry will be held on Monday, May 21.

“The presence of a mafia-like gang is not remote because wrongdoings in projects like housing will not happen without the collusion and manipulation of erring officials and cheating contractors,” Ejercito said.

He identified those invited to attend the probe as National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalda Jr.; NHA-Visayas Area Manager Grace Guevarra; NHA-Eastern Visayas Regional Manager Rizalde Mediavillo; NHA-Zamboanga City District Manager Al-Khwarizmi Indanan; and NHA-Mindanao Area Manager Ma. Alma Valenciano.

Private developers and contractors are also invited to the hearing.

“Kung talagang may sabwatan, we need to unmask these corrupt officials and crooked developers,” said Ejercito.