Palace to Magalong: Provide Marcos info on flood control projects

Malacañang on Thursday urged Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to submit his information on anomalous flood control projects to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. 

Instead of having a lead investigator on the probe, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said it would be better if Magalong would directly present what he knows to the President.

''Kung anuman po ang maitutulong ni Mayor Magalong, mas maganda po na ito ay mailahad niya sa Pangulo at hindi naman po siguro kinakailangan pang magkaroon ng isang magli-lead sa probe dahil nga may mekanismo na po at sistema na ibinigay ang ating Pangulo,'' Castro said.

(Whatever Mayor Magalong can offer, it would be better if he can state it to the President, and also, maybe a lead investigator is no longer needed since the President already mentioned a mechanism for this investigation.)

''Kung anuman po ang mayroon siya, kung ito po ay kumpleto ay maaari niya po itong maisumite agad-agad sa ating Pangulo para iyong sinasabi po nilang 67 congressmen at mukhang sila ay identified na ni Mayor Magalong hindi po ba mas magandang maibigay na niya ang report na ito sa ating Pangulo?'' she added. 

(Whatever information he has, if this is already complete, he can submit it to the President, including the 67 congressmen who are allegedly involved. It seems that they were already identified, so don't you think it would be better if the report will be given to the President?)

Cases will immediately be filed if there is sufficient evidence, Castro said.

Magalong earlier said he was waiting to be called to Congress after he said there were lawmakers receiving payoffs from infrastructure projects, including flood control programs.

The mayor's statement came after Bicol Saro Representative Terry Ridon challenged him to show proof, which will back up his claims that some congressmen are supposedly receiving 30% to 40% kickbacks in government projects.

GMA News Online has requested comment from Magalong regarding Malacañang's statement, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

In the same briefing, Castro reiterated that 15 contractors, which obtained most of the flood control projects, would be thoroughly probed. If their involvement is proven, Castro said, cases will be filed against them.

The President's son, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, expressed opposition Wednesday to a planned congressional investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Asked about comments that the House of Representatives lacks the credibility to conduct its own probe, Marcos said, "Why would a body investigate itself?"

He noted that fellow members of the House of Representatives are among those suspected of being linked to the anomalies.

"I think we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Although the House, I believe, should assist in being able to identify where the anomalies are, I think it would be primarily the prerogative of the Executive to be able to identify where these anomalies lie, given the fact that, again, the accused, so to speak, is within the Legislature," Marcos said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News