A senior civic leader has warned against what he called a “trial by speculation” amid allegations linking First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to supposed irregularities in government flood control projects.

Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, chairman emeritus of several civic reform groups, said that a person’s “integrity should never be tried by gossip nor condemned by speculation.”

Goitia heads the Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya, People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms, Liga Independencia Pilipinas, and the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement.

“It is unfortunate that in this age of instant outrage, people are too quick to judge and too slow to verify,” Goitia said. “The First Lady is not a public contractor, not a government official, and yet she is being unfairly dragged into issues without proof.”

Goitia criticized calls by a private advocacy group to investigate the First Lady, calling it “a fishing expedition disguised as a crusade.”

“Accountability is the essence of good governance, but so is fairness,” he said. “When an accusation is made without basis, it ceases to be a civic act and becomes political demolition.”

He said Mrs. Marcos’s long record as a lawyer and educator reflected her professionalism and restraint, not political interference.

“She has always carried herself with dignity and independence,” Goitia said. “Those who know her work know that she operates within the law and above partisanship.”

Truth as casualty

Malacañang echoed the sentiment, describing the proposed inquiry by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) as one aimed at stirring controversy rather than finding the truth.

“We must not allow unverified accusations to dictate the headlines,” the Palace said in a statement. “Investigations should proceed only where there is clear and sufficient basis.”

Goitia cautioned the public about the power of a rumor spread online. “When social media replaces evidence, the truth becomes the first casualty,” he said. “We should never allow character assassination to replace due process.”

He said due process remains the foundation of democracy. “That is how a democracy works. We follow the law, not the noise.”

Goitia said the First Lady is being targeted not because there is proof but because of her proximity to power. “Dragging the President’s wife into every controversy is not oversight; it is an overreach,” he said.

He noted that flood control projects are handled by government agencies that are audited. 

“There are systems of accountability already in place. The solution is to strengthen those systems, not to malign those who have nothing to do with project implementation,” he said.