Marcos: Still premature to name those involved in anomalous flood control projects

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Monday that it is still premature for him to name personalities allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects. 

“It will be premature for me to name names,” Marcos said during a press conference where he announced that a website will be launched for the public to report anomalous flood control projects.

During the briefing, Marcos said the public could report about the status of the flood projects in their area.

Pertinent information will be presented in a website about the flood control projects, said Marcos. 

Marcos said he wants the public to be involved in making those individuals linked to faulty flood control projects accountable. If there is evidence of corruption or any kind of wrongdoing, Marcos said that will be the time that the government will ''move.''

''I need to hear from other people because anong makukuha kong report? Makukuha kong report sa kung sino man, eh maganda lahat. So I need to hear from people first, and then if there is really something na kailangan sasabihin, talaga ito consistent, ang dami nilang... kinse 'yung projects nila puro palpak, delikado na 'yan titingnan na namin,'' he said. 

(I need to hear from other people because what report will I get? I will obtain reports from other individuals then everything will turn out good. So, I need to hear from people first, and then if there is really something, we will look into it.) 

Marcos emphasized that he wants to be fair to everyone in investigating these flood control projects.

"Let's also be fair to everyone... ito si ganito, ito si ganyan, tanggal 'yan sa trabaho (this person will just be removed from office), unless we have a good idea of what went wrong,'' Marcos said. 

''Let's be circumspect about pointing fingers and shouting at people, tingnan natin nang mabuti (let's look at it thoroughly),'' he added. 

To recall, the President 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.

If proven that contractors are involved in corruption, Marcos said they would be blacklisted from the government. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News