House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte were included in the list of resource persons invited by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) this week as the fact-finding body continues its probe on the multibillion-peso flood control project scandal.
This developed as the ICI officially opened its livestreaming site via the social media platform YouTube.
The commission, however, did not mention in its advisory the exact date Marcos and Duterte will be appearing for the hearing or if the proceedings will be livestreamed.
The commission aims to gather insights from lawmakers and key political figures to ensure accountability and transparency in the project’s funding and execution.
Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. and officials from the Land Bank of the Philippines, who were invited as resource persons for the hearings scheduled this Tuesday morning, December 2, requested executive sessions.
Agarao was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. while the bank officials arranged for 10:30 a.m.
Also invited for this week’s proceedings were Bulacan 1st District Rep. Danilo Domingo and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap.
Rep. Marcos earlier expressed his willingness to appear before the ICI to clear his name after ex-Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co linked him to allegedly anomalous budget insertions in the 19th Congress.
“Regardless of position and who you are, no one is above the law. Given that I have nothing to hide, I hereby submit myself for investigation by the ICI at their earliest convenience,” said the president’s son in a letter to ICI dated Nov. 26.
During a House committee on infrastructure in September, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary for Planning Maria Catalina Cabral claimed Duterte’s district received a total of P51 billion in flood control projects at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Duterte, however, denied any wrongdoing.
