The Independent Commission for Infrastructure began livestreaming its proceedings for the first time yesterday, with Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. and officials from the Land Bank of the Philippines appearing before the body.
The ICI released two weeks ago the guidelines for the livestream, which states that all proceedings will be streamed live on YouTube except when a resource person requests for an executive session or if the information to be discussed must be kept confidential for national defense or security reasons, among others.
In yesterday’s said hearing, Agarao refuted claims he received any money as “commission” from the flood control projects linked to contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya in his district.
The lawmaker also denied any affiliation with the couple.
“I don’t know what the Discaya couple’s motives are. I can’t say anything because I’m not the sitting congressman at that time,” Agarao said.
“As a matter of fact, I was even surprised as to why I was implicated here. During 2022–2025, I was not a sitting congressman,” he added.
The Discayas earlier identified Agarao as one of the lawmakers who allegedly received kickbacks from their projects.
Following Agarao’s testimony, the ICI panel proceeded to question officials from the Land Bank of the Philippines, including its President and CEO Ma. Lynette Ortiz, First Vice President Cesar Cabañes, and Senior Vice President Marilou Villafranca.
As this developed, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte will appear as resource persons in ICI hearings this week, along with 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 former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co linked him to allegedly anomalous insertions in the 2025 budget.
“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,” the presidential son said in a letter to the ICI dated Nov. 26.
During a House committee on infrastructure in September, former Department of Public Works and Highways 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.
Duterte denied any wrongdoing, but ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio yesterday asked the ICI to look into allegedly anomalous flood control projects in Davao City worth at least P4.4 billion.
“We think these projects have red flags or possible anomalies, spanning from 2019 to 2022, and involving at least 80 contracts,” Tinio said.
