By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wants not only jail time and filing of charges against corrupt officials and their conspirators but also for them to return what they stole from public funds.
This was the statement made by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co owned air assets worth P4.7 billion.
Public Works Sec. Vince Dizon earlier asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze Co’s air assets and some P500 million worth of luxury vehicles owned by DPWH officials, employees, and contractors under investigation due to alleged links to anomalous flood control projects.
“Hindi sapat na masampahan lang ng kaso ang mga sangkot sa maanomalyang flood control projects. Hindi rin sapat na makulong ang mga ito dahil ang nais ng Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ay maibalik ang pera ng taumbayan,” Castro said.
“Ayon kay Secretary Vince Dizon, ang pag-freeze ng mga assets ng mga involved sa flood control projects ay kabilang sa serbisyong hangarin ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na makuha ang mga ito upang maibalik ang pera sa taumbayan,” she added.
PBBM dismayed over flawed infra projects, kickback scheme
The Palace press briefer also conveyed the President’s dismay over revelation made by former DPWH Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez that all infrastructure projects of the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office since 2019 are “substandard”.
During Tuesday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, contractor Curlee Discaya also claimed that the kickbacks in government projects rose to 25% to 30% under the Marcos Jr. administration from 15% under the Duterte administration and 10% under the Aquino administration.
“Hindi lamang po ang Pangulo ang malulungkot, lahat po tayong taumbayan ay malulungkot po sa nakita at nasabing ganiyan na kumbaga itong mga proyektong ito ay para sa kalahatan, para sa ikagiginhawa ng mga kababayan natin pero ang mga gumiginhawa ay iyong mga tao lamang na siyang nagpapayaman,” Castro said.
“Ito po ang ayaw ng Pangulo. Ang budget na inilalaan ay para sa bayan at sa taumbayan. Kaya nga po nagpasimula ang Pangulo sa pag-iimbestiga ng ganitong mga klaseng korapsyon,” she added.
Palace affirms ICI’s independence amid flood control probe
Nevertheless, Malacañang noted that the ongoing investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is starting to bear fruit with evidence piling up on the alleged irregularities.
“Nakikita na ang unti-unting pamumunga ng pinasimulan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na pagpapaimbestiga sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects sa bansa,” Castro said.
The President also reminded the ICI to ensure there is sufficient evidence against those behind the anomalies.
“Kahit sino pa kayo, basta sangkot kayo, mananagot kayo—iyan ang nais ng Pangulo,” Castro said.
She also emphasized that the ICI will continue to pursue all possible angles to complete its evidence, including reviewing government documents.
“Ang pagiging independent ng isang investigating body ay makikita kung ito ba ay impartial, walang kinikilingan, walang kinakampihan, walang tinatanggap na suhol o napapabalitang tumanggap ng suhol para ipagtanggol ang nasasabing sangkot,” Castro said.
“Ang ICI ay isang independent commission, mag-iimbestiga, at saan ba sila kukuha ng mga impormasyon? Sa lahat ng maaari nilang pagkukuhanan. You just cannot get evidence out of thin air,” the Palace official added.
-av
