Tinio warns of ‘smoke screen’ to shield Big Fish in flood mess
Recent government pronouncements tagging a growing list of lawmakers in the flood control corruption scandal may just be a “smoke screen” to draw attention away from the proverbial big fish, especially those closer to Malacañang.
The warning came from ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, who said the public should take note of the recent “recommendations” coming from the Palace-created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He said such recommendations to file charges against certain officials may only be creating an “illusion” that swift, decisive actions were being taken.
Name-dropping
“We need to question if this constant name-dropping is just a smoke screen,” Tinio said in an interview on Tuesday. “And note that these names are only being named in a recommendation to file charges, not actually to file charges against those named.”
“Let’s not get deceived by the illusion that so many things are happening when in actuality, there are no cases filed yet against everybody named,” the lawmaker said.
Tinio was referring to the joint recommendation by the DPWH and ICI on Wednesday to file charges against resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co and seven other congressmen with links to public works contractors, for violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officials.
Apart from Co, named in the recommendation were Construction Workers Solidarity Rep. Edwin Gardiola, Uswag Ilongo Rep. James Ang Jr., Pusong Pinoy Rep. Jernie Nisay, Bulacan Rep. Agustina Pancho, Cagayan Rep. Joseph Lara, Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas and Tarlac Rep. Noel Rivera.
3 Palace execs tagged
Before this and the previous recommendations from the ICI or DPWH, Tinio said, recent public testimonies already pointed to at least three Palace officials as allegedly having a hand in the funding of questionable flood control projects.
Co, for example, named former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, and Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz as having facilitated the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget, he said.
The resigned Ako Bicol representative also accused former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan of getting a cut from the kickbacks drawn from the insertions.
Former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo also claimed he personally delivering kickback money to Bersamin and former Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar.
Cover-up
All but Cadiz have since resigned from their posts, and “it seems like the administration is content to just let them disappear from the scene,” Tinio said.
“So again, it seems like the President is now using the announcement of many names of congressmen or whatever officials to cover up the lack of action in the Cabinet’s own investigation that points to his own role in this corruption scandal,” Tinio added.
Mr. Marcos has repeatedly denied Co’s allegations that he orchestrated, along with his cousin and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
