Ridon urges ICI to allow public reading of affidavits in flood control probe

House infrastructure committee co-chair Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon on Saturday joined calls for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to make its hearings on the flood control projects scandal open to the public, or at least some parts of it.

“For example, yung pagbabasa ng affidavit na magiging public document naman anyway… talagang na-vet ng mga abogado at ICI, tingin ko may inisyal na kopya ng affidavit na ito… tingin ko ‘yung pagbabasa ng affidavit na ito at ‘yung tanong ng mga miyembro ng commission ay dapat pwedeng payagan na ikasa under open public proceedings ng ICI,” the lawmaker said at a news forum in Quezon City.

(For example, the reading of the affidavit, which would be a public document anyway… and already vetted by a lawyer and the ICI, as I believe the ICI already has an initial copy of it… I think the reading of the affidavit as well as the questioning by the members of the commission should be allowed under open public proceedings of the ICI.)

The ICI keeps the public informed about its inquiry through press statements even though its hearings remain private. 

ICI executive director Brian Hosaka recently said that the hearings would not be livestreamed to avoid “trial by publicity” and any political influence.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said on Wednesday that the ICI's decision was "very suspicious," adding even trials on criminal cases are open to the public. 

Ridon said the ICI’s executive sessions could still be done in private.

“Ang sinasabi natin sa ICI, kailangan nila magpasya kung ano ang mga bahagi na mayroong public proceedings… Ano ba talaga ang in executive session, mayroon talagang sensitive matters, particularly sa pag-preclude sa pagpapangalan ng mas malaking sangkot. Puwedeng payagan ng ICI to conduct it in executive session,” the lawmaker said.

(What we are suggesting to the ICI is that they should decide which parts of their hearing should be made public… and what should be in an executive session. There are really sensitive matters, particularly those that preclude naming of those involved; then the ICI can conduct it in an executive session.)

Ridon said he would consult his co-chairs in the House InfraComm to formally urge the ICI to decide what parts of its probe should be made public. —VBL, GMA Integrated News