MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday welcomed calls from business groups to expand the powers of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is investigating anomalous flood control projects even as it stressed that the administration is working vigorously to fight corruption.
More than 30 business groups called on President Marcos over the weekend to give ICI full legal authority to undertake a swift and independent probe into corruption in infrastructure projects.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President would support any moves to provide additional powers to the commission as long as it would benefit the public.
“It would be better if ICI would have more teeth. But for now, we can see that the ICI is effectively performing (its mandate),” the Palace press officer said at a briefing.
In a joint statement on Sunday, major business organizations representing members across all sectors – large, medium, small and micro enterprises – urged the Marcos administration “to address, without delay, the historic, massive and unprecedented corruption scandal crippling our flood control and infrastructure projects.”
Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice has also called on the President to call for a special session of Congress to pass a bill that will give more powers to the ICI.
Castro enumerated the ongoing initiatives by the administration to address corruption, including the launching of the Sumbong sa Pangulo website and the creation of ICI to investigate anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects.
She also cited the freeze orders on the assets of those implicated in corruption cases, alongside the issuance of Immigration Lookout Bulletin Orders and the recommendation to file charges against former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co.
“The President and the administration feel the sentiments of the businessmen that’s why investigations are ongoing and the government is acting swiftly to hold those responsible accountable,” Castro said.
‘US visit just a courtesy call’
Meanwhile, Castro also clarified the visit of a US embassy official at the ICI office last week, saying it was “just a courtesy call.”
Castro was asked about the visit of US embassy acting Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Kelleher at the ICI office in Taguig.
“I talked to Attorney Hosaka and asked him what they discussed. According to him, that was just a courtesy call and they just asked what the mandate of ICI was – just a courtesy call,” the Palace official said, referring to ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka.
Asked whether the embassy official discussed foreign funded projects in the country, Castro said these matters were not tackled.
When pressed further on whether the US offered assistance to the ongoing probe, Castro said, “There was no discussion about that. He just asked about the methodology and mandate of the ICI.”
Hosaka also defended the ICI yesterday against criticisms of foreign influence: “There is no interference. They’re just asking questions about the ICI.”
“We didn’t divulge anything and nothing was tackled outside of what we already informed the public,” he added.
Hosaka also denied that the commission is being used to spread a version of the story on corruption that President Marcos, who created the ICI, wants.
At a press conference after her pilgrimage to Basilica Minor of Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan, Vice President Sara Duterte accused the commission of “legitimizing the government narrative” on the flood control mess.
“The government opened the ICI so that whatever its investigation report is will be the official story on the corruption issue,” Duterte said Saturday. “And that’s what they’ll feed to the people.”
“The commission will go where the evidence leads us, regardless of the personalities involved,” he said.
The ICI will refer cases to the Ombudsman this week, but Hosaka has not yet divulged either their scope or respondents’ identities.
Additionally, the ICI is still waiting for the Department of Budget and Management to approve its staffing pattern and budget. Hosaka said the commission needs around 180 people for its operations.
Jonvic: Jail ready for corrupt
According to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, there is enough room in the New Quezon City Jail for personalities who will be put behind bars by the Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Ombudsman in connection to the flood control scandal.
“Based on what I have seen on TV, and the documents shown in the Senate hearings... we assume that the first round of the indictments will come in the next three weeks,” Remulla said in a press conference after conducting an inspection of the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas yesterday.
“In my opinion... there will be up to 200 people who can be ordered imprisoned from the ‘floodgate’ scandal,” he added, stressing he has no internal knowledge of undertakings at the Office of the Ombudsman headed by his brother, Jesus Crispin Remulla.
The interior secretary stressed that the court has the prerogative on where to detain the accused. — Rainier Allan Ronda, EJ Macababbad, Evelyn Macairan