OPPOSITION lawmakers on Sunday criticized President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.鈥檚 handling of a multi鈥慴illion peso graft scandal, saying his claim that a fact鈥慺inding probe was nearing its end would deprive Filipinos of accountability.
Mr. Marcos on Friday hinted the Independent Commission for Infrastructure鈥檚 (ICI) mandate may be nearing its conclusion, following the resignations of Commissioners Rogelio 鈥淏abes鈥 L. Singson and Rossana A. Fajardo that left the body with a lone member.
鈥淭he Filipino people deserve better than this charade,鈥 Party-list Reps. Antonio L. Tinio, Renee Louise M. Co and Sarah Jane I. Elago said in a joint statement. 鈥淭hey deserve genuine investigations that hold the powerful accountable, not toothless commissions designed to protect the corrupt elite.鈥
Mr. Marcos in mid-September created a fact-finding panel into billions worth of bogus flood control deals, which is tasked to investigate irregularities in public works projects involving substandard, incomplete or nonexistent infrastructure.
鈥淭he truth is, this administration does not really want to investigate the real masterminds of corruption in infrastructure,鈥 the lawmakers said. 鈥淭he ICI was created to deflect public outrage, not to pursue genuine accountability.鈥 鈥 Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
