Tovic Salvador

ICI agenda: Airtight cases, not trial by publicity

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>Airtight cases that cannot be dismissed outright. This is the target of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure investigating anomalous flood control and other government infrastructure, which has allegedly cost the Philippine economy P100 billion.</p><p>ICI spokesperson Atty. Brian Hosaka said the commission decided to conduct confidential hearings on the flood control scandal to avoid a trial by publicity.</p><p>“Hindi pwedeng piecemeal ang paglatag natin ng ebidensya o testimonies sa publiko dahil kailangan pa ito i-subject sa verification and collaboration as much as possible. Ayaw namin maniniwala basta-basta sa isang testigo na unang-una hindi tayo nakakasiguro kung ano ang karakter ng taong ito, ano ang background,” he said in a DZMM interview.</p><p>“Masinop na rine-review ng ICI ang ganitong mga testimony at ebidensya para manigurado po tayo na once sigurado tayo sa ating mga ebidensya at testimonya, dun tayo gagawa ng referral to the proper government agency like the Ombudsman para ‘yung ating mga na-file o mai-re-recommend sa Ombudsman ay airtight po. Hindi po basta basta ma-di-dimiss kaliwa’t kanan. Kung mangyari yan, nag fail po ang ICI.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759111450223548196156_1205020051650719_3586960081466487107_n (1).jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Presidential Communications Office</em><br id="isPasted"/></span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759111521154547210960_1205020014984056_3795892875756217658_n (1).jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Presidential Communications Office</em><br id="isPasted"/></span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759111562075547274875_1205020001650724_8166140064070894690_n (1).jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Presidential Communications Office</em><br id="isPasted"/> </span></span></span></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpcogovph%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0UTbTcv1urMVq4UK4nY5mPP4gtSr7NXJ4SJDoA6dYnEcUhGZNkCj1mmnD564KrX4Ml&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=500" width="500" height="498" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Hosaka said he does not know if the commission will replace Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as ICI special adviser following his resignation last week. Magalong earlier said he left the ICI to protect its integrity after the Palace placed his appointment under review due to alleged conflict of interest.</p><p>He confirmed the ICI will invite more resource persons to shed more light on the flood control scandal. “This is not a matter that will be resolved in a matter of months or weeks,” he said, adding that the scandal could be ongoing for decades.  </p><p>More than that, he said the ICI will be submitting recommendations for legislation to the Executive Department.</p><p>The ICI, assembled under Executive Order No. 94 issued on Sept. 11, is tasked to probe anomalies in multibillion-peso flood control and infrastructure projects in the last 10 years.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>INDEPENDENT, DELIBERATE</strong></div><p>Hosaka also stressed that the commission will be independent and transparent in its investigation, after several lawmakers asked why it has not livestreamed its proceedings. </p><p>&quot;We assure the public that we will always be independent, we will always be deliberate. Hindi po kami magpapadaloy sa pulitika, kami po ay magiging - we will be independent, we will not allow anyone, any group to use us for any political agenda or leverage because we want to seek the truth, we want to know who was really responsible for this mess. We owe that to the Filipino people,&quot; Hosaka said in a separate interview on Monday, as the ICI prepared to file its first &quot;referral&quot; to the Office of the Ombudsman.</p><p>&quot;It is very important that we maintain in a way the integrity of the commission. We don&#x27;t want the commission to be used for any political agenda or leverage. Kaya nag-iingat po kami. Lahat po ng mga binibigay na impormasyon eh kinakailangan verified at in fact kailangan ma-collaborate,&quot; he added. </p><p>Hosaka does not see any conflict with the ICI filing its referral to the Ombudsman amidst the ongoing investigation being done by the Department of Justice (DOJ).</p><p>&quot;In fact, I think complementary. Nakita naman po ninyo si SOJ na nagpunta rito kanina at nagsubmit ng mga affidavit and for us that&#x27;s very important,&quot; he said. &quot;investigative is very valuable for us. Because the more information that we get, the more basis we will have to file cases against those responsible fo this mess.&quot; </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>QUESTIONS FROM LAWMAKERS</strong></div><p>Some lawmakers have called on the commission to reconsider its decision against opening proceedings to the public through livestreaming. ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima also questioned Hosaka&#x27;s statement saying they wanted to avoid a trial by publicity.</p><p>&quot;Para manggaling pa mismo sa ICI na baka maging trial by publicity ito, wala ba silang tiwala sa paghandle nila ng imbestigasyon? Di ko gets,&quot; De Lima said.</p><p>Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña noted that it is the lack of transparency in processes from the bicameral conference committee meetings to project implementation that led to the theft of funds.</p><p>&quot;Kaya nga may naganap na pangungulimbat dahil hindi transparent ang proseso mula sa bicam hanggang sa project implementation. Pati ba naman sa investigation walang transparency?&quot; Cendaña asked in a statement.</p><p>Both lawmakers also called for the passage of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure Bill or HB 4453.</p><p>&quot;Mukhang kapos talaga ang ngipin sa ilalim ng EO on ICI ng Malacañang. Dapat maipasa ang sinsusulong nating Independent Commission for Infrastructure Bill o HB 4453 na maglalagay ng mandatory public hearings with livestreaming,&quot; Cendaña said.</p><div><strong>-- with a report from Johnson Manabat and Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News</strong><strong></strong></div>

<p>Airtight cases that cannot be dismissed outright. This is the target of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure investigating anomalous flood control and other government infrastructure, which has allegedly cost the Philippine economy P100 billion.</p>

Airtight cases that cannot be dismissed outright. This is the target of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure investigating anomalous flood control and other government infrastructure, which has allegedly cost the Philippine economy P100 billion.