MANILA, Philippines – Nakadepende ang magiging kapalaran ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), partikular na kung ito’y bubuwagin o kung magtatalaga ng mga bagong komisyonado sa isusumiteng report ng Komisyon kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Subalit kung dapat na ngang buwagin ang ICI, tiniyak ng Malakanyang na tutuparin ng administrasyong Marcos na papanagutin ng Office of the Ombudsman at Department of Justice (DoJ) ang mga sangkot sa flood control scandal.
“The President will still wait for the records and the report of the ICI. It is only then that the President will likely make a decision regarding the ICI,” ayon kay Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary at Palace Press Officer Claire Castro sa press briefing sa Malakanyang.
Gayunman, hindi naman nagbigay ang ICI ng timetable kung kailan nila maihahatid sa Pangulo ang nasabing report.
Tinukoy ang mga nakalipas na pahayag ng nagbitiw sa tungkulin na sina Rogelio “Babes” Singson at Rossana Fajardo, winika ni Castro na ang kanilang tungkulin sa ICI ay kompleto na.
“So what is needed now is simply to consolidate and gather the evidence that has been collected, as well as the testimonies of the people they invited,” aniya pa rin.
“Almost all of those invited appeared and cooperated, except Congressman Paolo ‘Polong’ Duterte and former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral,” ang sinabi pa rin ni Castro.
Sa kabila ng naging pahayag ng ICI na ang kakulangan ng quorum ang hadlang sa imbestigasyon nito, binigyang diin ni Castro na maaaring ipagpatuloy ng fact-finding body ang mandato nito kahit pa iisa na lamang ang miyembro, walang iba kundi ang chairman na si retired Justice Andres Reyes.
“And even if we say that the ICI is nearing the end of its term, if it has indeed already completed its work, the Office of the Ombudsman and the (Department of Justice) are there,” anito.
“They are also diligent in investigating corruption. So it cannot be said that the people have lost hope when it comes to probing these kinds of anomalies,” ang tinuran pa rin ni Castro. (KRIS JOSE)
