Malacañang on Friday again denied that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was involved in alleged kickbacks tied to anomalous flood control projects.
The denial came amid claims of a supposed text message exchange between the President and former Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, which allegedly indicated that Marcos was aware of kickbacks received by high-ranking officials in the projects under investigation.
Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro maintained that the House of Representatives had already fulfilled its mandate by investigating those implicated in the issue.
“Ginawa na po nila ang kanilang mandato – sumunod sa proseso at natapos po ang usapin na sinasabing wala pong anumang basehan. Sa ngayon po, ang anumang pinapahid na isyu ng korapsiyon sa Pangulo ay atin pong pinasisinungalingan,” she told reporters in a Palace briefing.
“Nakatuon po ngayon ang Pangulo sa pagtatrabaho para paunlarin ang ating bansa. Ang anumang paninira nang walang anumang basehan ay hindi dapat nagamit or magamit na armas para pahinain ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa ating gobyerno,” Castro added.
Members of the Makabayan bloc are urging the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the allegations against the President, with Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste saying he has evidence to prove that Marcos was aware of the supposed kickbacks.
“Well, that’s their opinion,” the Palace official said, adding that the President cannot compel Bersamin and other officials to speak.
Castro stressed that the Palace has not seen the alleged text message being circulated by the Makabayan bloc.
“Wala pa rin po kaming nakita. Papaano po natin mabibigyan ng tamang kasagutan/matalinong kasagutan kung wala naman po tayong nakikita? Even before, wala pa po itong isyu na ito – ang sinabi po ng Pangulo, moving forward po ang administrasyon para po sa usaping pang-ekonomiya. At kung anuman po ang dapat naming imbestigahan, iyan po ay ibinibigay na po sa kamay ng Ombudsman, DOJ at ng ICI,” she said.