Statement of Malacañang on PCIJ Report vs. Pres. Bongbong Marcos
Malacañang assured that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is ready for the probe of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) over the alleged campaign donations from contractors.
The flood control mess in the Philippines gathered different reactions and triggered the dismay of countless Filipinos. The people are disappointed over the discovery of several ‘ghost’ and substandard flood control projects funded by the government. According to Pres. Bongbong Marcos, the country has already spent P545-billion for the flood control projects since the start of his term.
Marcos Jr. tagged the country’s total spending for the government flood control deals as “enormous”. His press conference came a few weeks after his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) wherein he claimed that the flooding in some areas in the country is due to the failure of the flood control projects of the government.
In the press con, Pres. Bongbong Marcos also flagged the 15 contractors that got around P100 billion from the country’s total spending on the flood control deals. He cited the following:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
Following the press con of the President, then-Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero admitted that he received a P30-million campaign donation from a contractor. His admission was followed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirming that they will investigate the contractors and the candidates who received campaign donations as it is against the rules.
However, recently, amid the flood control mess in the Philippines and his stance to hold everyone who corrupted the people’s money accountable, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism or PCIJ reported that Pres. Bongbong Marcos allegedly received P21 million campaign donation from contractors in 2022. Malacañang reacted to it.
Based on a report on PhilStar, Malacañang press officer undersecretary Claire Castro said that the investigation is under the Comelec. The Palace official also assured that Pres. Bongbong Marcos is ready to submit himself to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI if the probe links him to the issue.
“Let the Commission on Elections (Comelec) do its job – investigate. The President is willing to be investigated,” the Malacañang official said.
Atty. Claire Castro stressed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos is courageous and knows what he is doing. Based on the report, the Malacañang said that Marcos Jr. will not excuse himself whatever will be investigated.
“Matapang po ang Pangulo. Alam po niya ang kanyang ginagawa at kung ano man maaaring imbestigahan dito, hindi niya i-e-excuse ang sarili niya,” Castro said.
The ICI is the independent probe team that Marcos Jr. ordered to be created amid the flood control mess in the Philippines. It has the power to issue a subpoena as well as the freezing or seizure of the assets linked to anomalies.