By Brian Campued
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) remains “independent” and only follows evidence and is not controlled for political gain amid its probe into anomalous flood control projects, Malacañang said Tuesday.
This was the statement of Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro following Sen. Francis Escudero’s claim that the flood control investigation is following a “script” allegedly to protect former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez and other lawmakers at the lower chamber.
“Sa ngayon, lahat po ng naituturo, lahat ng nababanggit na pangalan, dapat nating ikonsidera na inosente. They should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Let us go to where the evidence leads us,” Castro said.
She added that instead of pointing fingers, evidence should be submitted to the ICI and let the commission do its job.
“Hindi po kasi nadadaan sa magandang talumpati, hindi po nadadaan sa pagtuturo ang pagpapananagot sa mga nasabing umabuso ng pondo kundi sa pamamagitan ng sapat na ebidensiya. So, ang ebidensiyang ito maaari naman pong ibigay sa ICI at ang ICI naman ay isang independent commission na maaaring tumingin ng lahat ng mga evidence, facts, [o] records para matumbok kung sino ang dapat na mapanagot,” she noted.
Castro also said that Marcos defers to the ICI to decide whether it would hold public hearings on its flood control probe.
“Noon pa po sinabi ng Pangulo na itong ICI ay isang independent commission,” she said. “So, kung ano po ang kanilang magiging polisiya at ang kanilang magiging procedure po doon ay igagalang po ng Pangulo at hindi po manghihimasok ang Pangulo dahil sila po ay independent body.”
Meanwhile, Malacañang clapped back at Vice President Sara Duterte over her claim that Marcos is “keeping a stranglehold on the flood control probe” through the ICI and that “floodwaters of truth and accountability will flow all the way to Malacañang.”
“Ang tangi lamang po yata niyang alam ay sirain ang Pangulong Marcos Jr.,” Casto said.
“Maski na po mismo napakinggan po natin si Senator Chiz Escudero kahapon, kahit na nga po ang Pangulo sinabi po niya na walang kinalaman at siya pa po ang nagsumbong kung anong nagaganap,” she added.
Castro also denounced Duterte’s allegations that Marcos had a hand in electing Romualdez as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Huwag niya pong kalimutan na mayroon pong separation of powers, wala pong kinalaman o wala pong maaaring responsibilidad sa pagpili noon kay Rep. Martin Romualdez bilang House Speaker, so huwag niya pong kakalimutan iyon,” she stressed.
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