Futile stonewalling

Some members of the minority at the House of Representatives have raised concerns about corroborating the claims of fugitive former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co.

While Co is nowhere to be found, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo has made almost the identical claim about high-ranking Palace officials obtaining kickbacks from insertions in the corruption-ridden 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Senator Ping Lacson, Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson, told of the existence of a handwritten statement by Bernardo, which the senator submitted to the President.

What is baffling is that Bernardo was scheduled to appear before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), but this was suddenly canceled.

Co’s revelations could be compared to those of Bernardo, which should have happened at the ICI.

Bernardo implicated former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, saying the President ordered insertions into the 2025 budget — a very detailed revelation.

The former DPWH official said he personally delivered money to the Diamond Hotel in an armored car and that he met with Trygve Olaivar, former undersecretary at the Department of Education, to exchange armored vehicles.

Palace allies and minions discredited Co’s statements because they were made in video statements that were not under oath.

Bernardo’s statements confirmed the substance of Co’s claims of the President ordering P100 billion in insertions with the deliveries made to Malacañang.

Another oddity was the President’s reaction to Co’s allegations: “Come home first, then I will respond to your accusations.”

As President of the Philippines, he has all the machinery of government to ensure that Co is brought back to the country.

The ICI is also not giving credit to its name due to a disconnect between what the public expects in terms of accountability and its role, particularly regarding a rule requiring a resource person to consent before a livestream is allowed.

Who would want testimony about the country’s biggest scandal to be aired live, potentially endangering the lives of the witnesses and their families?

Also, witnesses would want to protect their reputation or avoid statements being used against them later.

The ICI has the power, motu proprio, to look into any allegation or discussion regarding corruption in infrastructure; thus, nothing is preventing it from investigating Co’s claims.

The challenge for the anti-corruption body is to go beyond its current procedures to expose the corruption.

The ICI must immediately summon Bernardo to get his statements on the role of the President and Malacañang in the biggest corruption scandal ever.

But there are attempts to stonewall, even by the President.

“Let’s leave it at that, don’t ask anymore,” Palace spokesperson Claire Castro told reporters, while the President said he had spoken with Bersamin and they agreed to “keep the reasons between ourselves.”

Every move to divert blame from President Marcos doesn’t douse the fire; it pours more fuel on it.