AN independent commission that would look into alleged anomalies in flood control projects nationwide will have all the powers it will need to make decisions and recommendations, including filing of charges, according to Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The probe body will be “completely separate from government,” the President also said in the first part of the BBM Podcast Episode 4 that was released on Sunday night. He was asked how the body that he is creating will be different from the Commission on Audit (COA), the Office of the Ombudsman, and other government agencies that would conduct their own probe.
A report by GMA 7, which hosted Episode 4, quoted Marcos as saying the independent body would be composed of three individuals who are not from government — a lawyer or former justice, an investigator, and a forensic accountant.
The report added that the body could also tap the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or COA to help in investigations and collating of information.
The President, in the podcast, again said he would not name the members until the probe body has been formed. He said the commission does not even have a formal name yet.
The body would also look into how the problem started and why it has reached this “horrible” level, he said.
He said he expects the commission, which will be given “all the powers that are necessary for them to come to a conclusion, to come to some findings,” to come up with recommendations on how to address and prevent a repeat of the anomalies including putting necessary safeguards in place.
“If it requires legislation, if it requires restructuring the government, lahat yan kailangan nating gawin (all we need to do),” he added.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, in an interview on the sidelines of departure ceremonies for the President, said an executive order creating the independent commission is up for signing by Marcos.
He declined to name the members, and other details of the probe body, saying many individuals have considered as members.
“We have given that very serious study. It’s a very ideal commission for that purpose of looking at the flood control anomalies and we expect that in its final form, the executive order will be welcomed by the people because that is what we are doing, everything for the people,” Bersamin said.
A teaser of Episode 4, which was released on Saturday, showed an emotional President as he slammed what he said was the injustice done to Filipinos who end up “suffering” and being “punished” because of the anomalous flood control projects.
“Because I see people having a hard time… they don’t deserve it. Mabuti kung masamang tao yan. Dapat parusahan. Hindi naman (It would be understandable if they were bad people. They should be punished. But they’re not),” Marcos said.
“All they do is work and love their families. Why would you punish them? So, you can get rich? That makes no sense to me,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
The President in August revealed that 9,855 flood control projects, worth more than P545.64 billion, have been constructed during the first three years of his term. Of the number, 6,021 or about 61 percent of the projects “do not specify the exact type of flood control structures built, repaired, or rehabilitated.”
Marcos also said that around P100 billion worth of the flood control projects went to only 15 contractors.
He has encouraged the public to report to the government any information they may have on anomalous projects, through the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website.
The President said that since the launch last month, more than 12,000 complaints have been reported, which including about non-flood control projects such as road paving and road widening. He said the website has been “very effective.”
INQUIRIES
Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III yesterday took exception to the statement made religious groups that Congress cannot investigate itself because a number of lawmakers are allegedly involved in the flood control mess.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Saturday said that legislators — just like district engineers, government auditors, and political patrons — are equally guilty of plunder, and that they should return their stolen wealth.
The Society of Jesus Social Apostolate said an independent commission should conduct the probe because “Congress simply cannot investigate itself.”
This sentiment was first aired presidential son Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, who last month called for a third-party investigation as he asked why a body would “investigate itself.”
Sotto, in an interview with radio dzBB, said the Senate and the House conducting inquiries “in aid of legislation.” He added neither chamber can judge if those allegedly involved are guilty or not because they do not have prosecutorial power.
“They are misplaced because the investigations of the Senate and the House are in aid of legislation. They do not have prosecutorial powers… It is actually an inquiry so lawmakers can determine what laws need to be amended or what new laws are to be made. Nobody can stop that and just allow the executive department to investigate because they cannot amend or make new laws,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
He said if some lawmakers are really involved in the anomalous flood control projects, it is for the other agencies to investigate them. “But then again, that does not prevent us from coming up with legislation to address the problem that they encounter also, or they were involved in.”
DONATIONS
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said seven candidates and 15 political parties and party-list organizations have so far been found to have received campaign contributions from 43 contractors.
“There are seven candidates and 15 political parties and party-list organizations. There is even one party-list that have four contractors (as campaign donors),” he said in a radio interview on Friday.
Of the recipients, Garcia said, “Almost all of them won. I believe only four didn’t win in the 2022 elections.”
Asked if Senate President Francis Escudero is part of the list, he said, “He is included because the Senate President has made the admission as well as by the contractor.” He was referring to Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
Escudero has confirmed that Lubiano was a campaign contributor in the 2022 elections.
Lubiano has confirmed donating P30 million to Escudero’s senatorial campaign in the 2022 elections while his firm held several government contracts.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, “no contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by a natural and juridical persons, who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions, or instrumentalities, with goods or services, or to perform construction or other works.” – With Raymond Africa and Gerard Naval
