FOR veteran Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, a long-time and trusted friend, there seems to be no problem on any move for the Liberal Party to enter into an alliance with the Marcos administration although he maintains that it would go against the party’s core principles.
Erice believes that the administration must first address what he described as the largest alleged corruption scandal in the history of the Philippine national budget and infrastructure program, particularly on flood control.
Stressing that LP has always stood for transparency, accountability and good governance, the Caloocan lawmaker emphasized that they couldn’t simply abandon these principles for the sake of political convenience.
He said there are still serious questions that remain unanswered regarding alleged large-scale budget manipulations involving flood control and other infrastructure projects.
Due to these alleged massive corruptions that he believes wouldn’t occur in the first place if high-ranking government officials are not directly and indirectly involved, “trillions of pesos in public funds through ghost projects, substandard infrastructure, and questionable budget reallocations might have been lost.”
Known for supporting programs and legislations irrespective of party affiliations as long as they prove to be for the Filipino people’s interest, Cong Egay noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself was the first to publicly raise concerns about irregularities in flood control projects.
The president had promised to determine the truth and hold those responsible accountable, Erice said.
“Unfortunately, despite those commitments, the Filipino people have yet to see a comprehensive accounting of what actually happened or who’s been held responsible,” Erice lamented.
Instead of full transparency, the people have witnessed political infighting and finger-pointing that have weakened public confidence in democratic institutions, including Congress, according to the Caloocan legislator.
A party stalwart, Erice said LP’s identity has always been rooted in the defense of democracy and the rule of law.
He recalled how the party leaders including late senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr., sacrificed their freedom—and in Ninoy’s case, his life—in the struggle against authoritarianism, corruption, and abuse of power.
“Those sacrifices should never be diminished by political expediency,” Erice added.
