Marcos scion faces ICI but no livestream; Du30 son rejects invite
The way the political scions of the Marcoses and Dutertes responded to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects seemed to have further shown the body’s limited powers.
While the President’s son and House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos “voluntarily” appeared before the ICI on Thursday, he asked that his testimony be heard behind closed doors—a request immediately granted.
This was despite earlier ICI pronouncements that his appearance would likely be livestreamed.
Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, on the other hand, declined the ICI’s request for him to appear, saying the commission had no authority over him as a “sitting” congressman.
Appearing before the ICI for the first time on Thursday, Marcos requested for a closed-door session, citing the sensitive information he would disclose.
“Our client here has submitted himself voluntarily and he wants to share as much information as he can, as candidly as possible, and more importantly, there may be critical information that may be elicited in his testimony which may jeopardize or compromise the investigation of this commission,” Michelle Lazaro, Marcos’ lawyer, told the body.
But Marcos later told reporters that he’s leaving it to the ICI’s discretion to release the video of his testimony.
“I’m happy for them to do so, if they believe that there is no information there that will jeopardize their investigation,” Marcos said in an interview after the hearing,
“I am here to lend anything that I know that will aid the ICI in their investigation,” he added. “As I said, I am not hiding anything, so I am happy to assist them in any way, shape or form.”
Marcos presented himself before the ICI following the allegations by resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co that he inserted at least P50 billion worth of public works projects in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 budgets.
He said these accusations were “pure fabrication and pure lies” and part of a “political ploy.”
He then diverted the issue to the alleged anomalous infrastructure projects in Davao City, alluding to the Dutertes.
‘Political harassment’
Pulong Duterte, the eldest son of former President Rodrigo Duterte, accused the ICI and President Marcos of political harassment and plotting to tarnish his name and that of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a two-page letter addressed to ICI Chair Andres Reyes Jr., Duterte said he welcomed the investigation into the flood control projects in his district but that he could not accept the invitation.
He cited several reasons, including his being a “sitting member of Congress” over whom the ICI, which President Marcos created through an executive order, “appears to have no power nor jurisdiction.”
“The Constitutional separation of powers bars the ICI, which is part of the executive branch, from including me in your executive mandate. Your power is purely limited to the executive branch,” he said.
He also contended that the ICI invitation had no factual or legal basis, that it was vague and ambiguous, and lacked details or particulars.
Being a creation of the executive branch, he said, the ICI could easily get information about his projects from the public works and budget departments, among other agencies.
He also stressed that he was not a member of the House appropriations committee from 2019 to 2022, thus he would not be competent to answer the ICI queries.
Inconsistencies
The ICI must instead immediately investigate the President, his family and former Speaker Martin Romualdez on the flood control and other infrastructure projects in Ilocos and Eastern Visayas from 2022 to 2025, after Co alleged that they made last-minute insertions in the budget, the Davao City congressman said.
“It is my impression that the ICI was created by President Marcos to save himself, his family, ex-Speaker Romualdez and ilks and provide a diversion cover up for their misdeeds,” Duterte said in his letter.
Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima criticized Duterte’s decision not to appear before the ICI.
De Lima noted contradictions in Duterte’s remarks, saying that while he was supposedly open to an investigation, he also claimed that the ICI had no jurisdiction over him.
“I would also say they are consistent in their (Dutertes’) cowardice,” De Lima told reporters.
She also said Duterte’s refusal to appear before the ICI may be “a signal” for Congress to institutionalize the body by passing House Bill No. 4453, which proposes the creation of a more powerful Independent Commission Against Corruption.
“Because in this case, you can see some individuals trying to be smart just to evade accountability, finding loopholes in ICI’s power just to elude investigation, like what Congressman Paolo Duterte is doing,” she said. —WITH REPORTS FROM KATHLEEN DE VILLA, JOHN ERIC MENDOZA AND GERMELINA LACORTE
