Newly installed Speaker Bojie Dy wants to terminate the ongoing House probe into the fraudulent flood control projects, asserting that it’s best left to the formed independent body given the public’s distrust of Congress.

Dy posits that the House inquiry lost its credibility due to the alleged involvement of some of its members in the corruption scheme and that continuing the investigation would be futile.

“If it were only up to me, everything about the infra comm — all reports, and whatever happened in the infra comm — should be submitted to the ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) since most of our fellow citizens don’t buy [what’s happening with its investigation],” the Speaker told reporters in a chance interview.

“I think it would be better if we just forward it to the ICI,” he added. 

The panel was supposed to continue the investigation this week, but committee lead chair, Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, said they will first consult with the Speaker on whether to proceed, considering his directive. 

“We defer to his current pronouncement directing the submissions of reports, transcripts, and documents to the ICI,” Ridon told DAILY TRIBUNE.

The infra committee launched a parallel probe into the flood control anomalies earlier this month, right after the Senate kicked off its first day of a similar investigation. 

The congressional probes, however, revealed that several members of Congress were highly involved in the corruption scheme linked to the flood control projects under President Marcos Jr.'s administration.

At least 19 House lawmakers, including former speaker Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, were named by big-time contractor Curlee Discaya, who ran nine construction firms with his wife, Sarah, as allegedly receiving 10 to 25 percent kickbacks for every flood control project awarded to them. 

The solons vehemently denied the accusations. In the infra comm’s probe, Curlee later admitted that he had no direct dealings with Romualdez and Co, suggesting that lawmakers asking for commissions may be just using their names to gain leverage.

The grave accusations uttered by the Discaya couple further undermined the House investigation, prompting Romualdez’s resignation as House speaker last week. 

Romualdez maintained his innocence, saying his relinquishing the House’s top post should not be seen as an admission of wrongdoing, but to uphold the independence of the ICI to “pursue its mandate freely and fully—without doubt, without interference, and without undue influence.”

Apart from members of the House, Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada were also implicated in the corruption scheme, allegedly receiving at least 30 percent kickback. The senators also denied the accusations.

The ICI was formally constituted last week to investigate further the alleged large-scale corruption in the flood control projects in the previous ten years, covering the term of Marcos’ predecessors. 

The three-member fact-finding body comprises retired Supreme Court justice Andres Reyes, former public works and highways secretary Babes Singson and SGV & Co. executive Rossana Fajardo, with Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong as special adviser. 

Magalong has alleged that members of the House are highly involved in the fraudulent scheme, accusing them of receiving kickbacks of at least 30 to 40 percent for every project. 

He named Co as one of the “masterminds” and “instigators” in Congress.

Co, who is in the United States for “medical treatment”, belied Magalong’s imputations, raising concern over the mayor’s impartiality on the case, suggesting that he had already prejudged the case.