Makabayan: ICI should probe Marcos, Sandro, Bersamin over flood control mess

Members of the Makabayan bloc on Wednesday asked the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to (ICI) to investigate President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Representative Sandro Marcos, former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, among others, over their alleged involvement in the flood control kickback scheme.

House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio of ACT party-list, House Assistant Minority Leader Renee Co of Kabataan party-list, and Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago made the call a day after filing House Resolution 515 calling for a legislative probe on the same personalities allegedly involved in the flood control mess.

The opposition lawmakers said allegations made by former House appropriations committee chairperson and resigned Ako-Bicol party-list Rep.Elizaldy Co that the President personally ordered insertions amounting to P100 billion in the 2025 national budget, and that Congressman Marcos, also recorded P50 billion worth of insertions under the 2023, 2024, and 2025 budgets, should not be swept under the rug.

These allegations, they said, need to be probed given that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson cited former Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo who alleged that Bersamin signified to “take care” the facilitation of P52 billion out of the P100 billion insertions.

“Recent revelations point that the Malacañang is at the center of these corrupt operations," the lawmakers said in a letter to ICI chairperson, retired Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr.

They added the corruption allegations involving billions of people’s money should not just be dismissed. 

They said among those that should be probed are:

• Former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co
• Former Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo
• President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
• Former executive secretary Lucas Bersamin
• Former Budget and Management secretary Amenah Pangandaman
• Former Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan;
• Former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office undersecretary Adrian Bersamin
• Former House speaker Martin Romualdez
• Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos
• Former DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara
• Former Department of Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar
• Justice Undersecretary Jose Cadiz, Jr. and
• other persons who may have relevant information regarding the allegations.

“Attached to this letter is House Resolution No. 515, which calls for an urgent investigation into the claims made by former Representative Elizaldy Co and former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo regarding budget insertions and the payment of kickbacks in the 2025 National Budget, allegedly ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” they added.

Likewise, the Makabayan bloc urged the ICI to livestream all its proceedings and lift all restrictive guidelines that impede public and media access to information.

“Lahat ng sangkot, dapat managot!  The Filipino people are demanding that all officials involved in corruption—from the past and present administrations—be held accountable,” they said.

“Trusting for your immediate consideration on this matter,” they added.

The ICI, formed by the President to probe the flood control mess, already released guidelines for livestreaming its hearings.—AOL, GMA Integrated News