ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Senate’s Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement is set to recommend the filing of charges against those involved in building substandard houses for calamity victims in the different parts of the country.
This was disclosed Wednesday by Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, who was here to grace the activities, in connection with the 117th Labor Day celebration at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority in Sitio San Ramon, Barangay Talisayan.
Ejercito, who heads the committee, said they already finished the inquiry involving the issue of substandard housing units that were built through the supervision of government housing agencies.
Ejercito was referring to the houses built for the victims of typhoons Yolanda (Haiyan) and Pablo (Bopha), as well as for the victims of the 2013 Zamboanga siege.
“We just finished the committee reports kasi marami yun. We will recommend the filing of charges against National Housing Authority officials and the developers,” he said.
He said the respondents may likely include officials of the previous administration.
The Senate conducted the investigation following complaints from the beneficiaries of the projects that the housing units they received were of substandard quality.
Ejercito said they have also investigated other irregularities such as the slow implementation of the projects, and the lack of basic facilities in the housing projects, aside from sub-standard quality.
Ejercito, who is endorsed by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), is seeking re-election for a second term in the Senate. (PNA)
