Marcos to officials involved in corruption: I'm sorry, you're no longer my ally

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr.'s allies will not be spared if found to be involved in corruption on flood control projects.

In an interview with GMA Integrated News, Marcos was asked if he would crack the whip on those responsible for the alleged corruption in flood control projects. He said that in solving issues, it would be better to ''fix the problem, not the blame.''

''You cannot fix the problem without knowing who to blame. So one thing follows another. So for us to fix the problem, we have to know what happened and where did it go wrong. at sinong dapat managot? (Who should be held liable?) Mayroon dapat naman managot... dahil sa dinadaanan na hirap... na dinadanas ng ating mga kababayan (Someone should be held liable... because of the hardships of the citizens), they have to be told who is responsible and somebody has to answer for their suffering,'' Marcos explained.

Asked what if it was his allies who were at fault, Marcos said he no longer wants to be associated with them.

''Sorry na lang. Hindi na kita ka-alyado kung ganyan ang ginagawa mo, ayaw na kitang ka-alyado,'' the President said.

(I'm sorry. You are not my ally if you are doing that, I don't want you to be my ally.)

To recall, Marcos in his fourth State of the Nation Address warned government personnel who steal public funds, such as those for flood control projects, that they will be dealt with under the law.

Marcos tasked the Department of Public Works and Highways to submit a list of all flood control projects in the last three years and publish it in order for the public to know who should be held accountable.

Still, the President ensured that the DPWH would not conduct the audit or review of the flood control projects. Opposition lawmakers have said that the Commission on Audit should be the one to probe and audit the flood control projects.

''Hindi talaga, hindi talaga DPWH... hiningi lang natin, hindi lang hiningi, kinuha na natin 'yung listahan, kaya 'yung mahalaga doon sa aming pinag-usapan, na isasapubliko natin,'' Marcos said.

(It's not DPWH... we just asked for the list, we got the list, what's important is that we will disclose this to the public.)

Among the names include contractors, which Marcos did not specify. If proven that they are involved in corruption, Marcos said they would be blacklisted from the government.

''We already have some names that are coming up that will be, first of all, corporations that are... mga contractor... na talagang kitang-kita na hindi magandang trabaho nila (it's obvious that they are doing something bad in their jobs). So, we will put them on a blacklist, hindi na sila pwedeng magkontrata sa gobyerno (they will no longer be allowed to be contractors of the government),'' he said.

Marcos said those involved know who they are, adding that some of them have been involved in corruption for a long time.

''They know who they are. They know who they are. Mayroon naman diyan talagang mga notorious, matagal nang ganito ang ginagawa. I'm sorry but they will have to account for their actions and they will have to account for the expenditures that they have made na hindi natin nakikita kung ano 'yung naging resulta,'' he said.

(Some were really notorious and they've been doing this for quite some time. I'm sorry but they will have to account for their actions and they will have to account for the expenditures that they have made including those we don't know the results.) 

Other government projects

Meanwhile, Marcos said other government projects would also be audited, not just the flood control programs. 

''It has to be evenly applied, hindi naman maaari dito lang tayo nag-audit, dito lang tayo naghahanap ng mananagot. Kailangan lahat, kung sino man may naging kasabwat dito sa ganyang klaseng pagtrabaho, sorry na lang... kagaya ng sabi ko, sorry na lang,'' Marcos said.

(It has to be evenly applied, it’s not proper that we will just audit the flood control projects. It should be all, whoever is involved in this kind of work, just like what I said, I’m sorry.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News