Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro has criticized Pusong Pinoy Partylist Rep. Jett Nisay, who endorsed the impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying Nisay himself was implicated in the flood control scandal involving congressmen as contractors.

“We don’t know what their intentions are in filing the impeachment complaint. But what we know right now is that the partylist representative who endorsed the complaint was one of the ‘congtractors’ mentioned by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure,” Castro told reporters on Monday.

Nisay owns JVN Construction and Trading, a Central Luzon-based firm registered with the Department of Trade and Industry since January 2022.

DPWH records showed Nisay’s company won P73 million in government contracts in 2021 and 2022, before he became a partylist representative

Baseless

Castro pointed out that the grounds mentioned in the impeachment complaint, including the President being a drug addict, had already been answered by the Palace.

“But still, we have to have a copy of the complaint to give an intelligent response to it,” she said.

On the alleged kidnapping of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his rendition to the International Criminal Court, she said it was only a case of “first impression” and no decision had been rendered in the case, also calling it groundless.

As impeachment is a numbers game in the House of Representatives, whether it will prosper or will be swept under the rug, Castro said: “The President believes that our lawmakers will use their intelligence, heart, and the rule of law not for their own welfare. The President continuously believes in the institution.”

Earlier, the Palace said in a statement that it recognized the filing of a complaint as part of the democratic process guaranteed under the Constitution.

“We respect this process and trust that Congress, as a coequal branch of government, will discharge its duty with honesty, integrity, and fidelity to the rule of law. The President fully upholds the Constitution and remains confident in the strength of our democratic institutions,” the Palace statement read.

“While these processes take their course, the President will continue to govern, ensuring that public services remain uninterrupted and that the work of government stays focused on improving the lives of our people. Our institutions are strong, our processes are clear, and the administration remains committed to stability, accountability, and the betterment of every Filipino,” it added.