Marcos won't intervene in flood control probe, says Castro

Malacañang reiterated Friday that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will not intervene in the flood control probe amid allegations that luggages of money were delivered to the residences of his cousin, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. 

In a press conference, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked for reaction on the statement of Orly Regala Guteza during a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing that he supposedly delivered suitcases containing money to Aguado in Malacañang, a supposed residence of the former speaker. 

''Kung mayroon po talagang ganitong pangyayari, patunayan na lang po at muli, hindi po makikialam ang Pangulo sa mga pag-iimbestiga na ito kaya po nag-create ng independent commission para maging malaya ang pag-iimbestiga...'' Castro said. 

(If this really happened, this should be proven and the President will not intervene that's why he ordered the creation of an independent commission to freely probe the issue.)

''Kamag-anak, kaalyado, pinsan man, kapatid man, o anuman, lahat po ay dapat maimbestigahan kung dapat na maimbestigahan,'' she added. 

(Relatives, allies, cousins or even siblings, everyone should be investigated if they need to be probed.) 

Guteza, who identified himself as a former security consultant for Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, said he personally delivered luggage of money to the residences of Romualdez and Co.

Guteza said he delivered more luggage to the house of Romualdez than Co’s due to the rotation of the security details. The deliveries usually happen thrice a week, he added. 

He also expressed hope to be included in the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice due to fear for his life. 

Both Co and Romualdez denied the accusations against them.

The President earlier said his cousin and other allies would not be spared in the investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure as regards anomalies in flood control projects.—AOL, GMA Integrated News