Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto remained mum amid the criminal and administrative charges that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recommended against Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva.

“I cannot comment, not knowing the background of that report,” Sotto told reporters.

However, Sotto said that if cases were to be filed against Estrada and Villanueva, he would be “prudent and follow the rule of law” to avoid putting the Senate “in the line of fire.”

“There are constitutional, legal, and political issues to these investigations. And there will always be as many opinions as there are lawyers,” he continued.

“We have due process in law and a system of checks and balances in government to protect the rights of individuals and institutions as well,” he added.

On Wednesday, 29 October, the ICI recommended the filing of charges against Estrada, Villanueva, resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, and former Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy over their alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects across the country.

The six were included in the ICI’s referral following affidavits and corroborating evidence provided by former DPWH-Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara and former DPWH-Bulacan Assistant District Engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza.