ML Rep. Leila de Lima Reacts To Marcos Jr.’s Remarks on ICI Work
LEILA DE LIMA – The Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative reacted to the claim of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the work of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is “coming towards the end”.
Thousands of Filipinos joined the street protests last September and November to call for an end to corruption. The so-called “Trillion Peso March” was held after several government officials were tagged in the supposed multi-billion flood control corruption in the country.
Several members of the House of Representatives including the chamber’s then speaker Martin Romualdez were implicated in the flood control mess. Some senators including then-Senate President Chiz Escudero was also tagged in the issue. Many officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are facing charges because of the alleged flood control corruption.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos vowed that he will bring the flood control mess to conclusion citing that he was the one who started its investigation. He ordered the creation of an independent commission that will investigate the issue. His order led to the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI.
The three-member commission invited several government officials including Romualdez and Escudero to its flood control probe. Sen. Joel Villanueva, presidential son and Ilocos Norte Cong. Sandro Marcos, Quezon City Cong. Arjo Atayde, and contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya also appeared before the commission.
However, recently, two (2) members of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure have resigned. Following the resignation of the two members, there were rumors that the commission might soon be dissolved. Recently, Pres. Bongbong Marcos claimed that the work of the ICI is coming to the end.
“It depends on how much work they still have left… But they really are coming to the end. Lahat ng kailangang imbestigahan na imbestigahan na nila. Maybe there are one or two other loose ends that they want to clear out,” the President said.
The remarks of Marcos Jr. immediately earned a comment from Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima. According to News, the House Member questioned the claimed of the President on the work of the ICI citing that there are allegedly still a lot of anomalies in other infrastructure projects.
“Kung ganito kaaga pa lang naiisip nang buwagin ang ICI, dapat hindi na nilagay yung “upon the accomplishment of the purposes for which it was created”; kundi kung kelan lang gusto ito isara ng Pangulo,” de Lima said.
ML Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima also claimed that dissolving the ICI immediately will allegedly make the commission look like just an intermission number. Based on the post, she stressed that there are still a lot of work to do.
‘Magmumukhang ginawang pang-intermission number lang ang ICI,’ she said.
Even the President himself was tagged in the flood control mess. Amid his opposition on several issues in the government, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco believes that Marcos Jr. is allegedly not involved in the flood control corruption.