Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla announced the creation of a special task force to investigate flood control infrastructure projects in Las Piñas and Bacoor, Cavite, particularly the ₱2.5-billion River Drive initiative,amid concerns that properties owned by the Villar family may have unduly benefited from government-funded developments.
“For the Villars, we may be putting up a new task force for the river drive and for the flood control of the Las Piñas — Bacoor and Las Piñas area. Because the land there also benefited from it. The landowners also gained from that, so we need to look into that as well,” Remulla said during a joint press briefing with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Department of Justice.
“We’re forming a new task force for that, just for Villar itself: the Zapote River Drive together with the Bacoor properties that were boundaries of the rivers, its path, and the improvements made in that area. So we will determine that later on the costing of the project,” he added.
The 11-kilometer River Drive project, which spans Bacoor to Muntinlupa via Las Piñas, was launched in 2012 by then-Senator Cynthia Villar as part of a flood mitigation plan. It was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under her son, former Secretary Mark Villar, and supported by then-Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar.
Remulla emphasized the need to scrutinize the project’s costing and land use. “When you see the river wall, you ask, ‘Who paid for this—the government or them?’ It’s as simple as that,” he said.
The project was funded through the General Appropriations Act from 2011 to 2022 and divided into three phases:
– Phase 1: ₱2.42 billion for the Zapote River Drive, from C-5 Extension in Pulanglupa I to Evia Lifestyle Center in Almanza Dos
– Phase 2: ₱120.76 million for the Las Piñas River Drive, completed in 2019
– Phase 3: Ongoing construction of the Molino River Drive in Bacoor
Despite its completion in 2022, residents near the Zapote River Drive continue to experience severe flooding during heavy rains and typhoons, including the July 2025 storms that inundated Brgy. Pulanglupa Dos.
Critics have pointed out that the River Drive not only serves as flood protection but also provides direct access to Villar-owned developments such as Portofino Heights, Evia Lifestyle Center, and Dear Joe Café. The road’s alignment and endpoints appear to favor commercial and residential properties linked to the family.
Remulla noted, “The River Drive is a multi-billion peso project. The perimeter—north and south boundaries—are mostly Villar properties. It should have been studied a long time ago.”
The Ombudsman stressed that the Villar family must cooperate with the investigation. (ZIA LUNA)
