President’s vow: accountability with strong, lawful cases
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored a clear message: the government must build strong, legally sound cases against individuals connected to flood-control anomalies. Speaking in a preview teaser for an upcoming podcast, he warned that rushing weak charges would backfire and undermine the long-term fight against corruption in infrastructure projects.
“We know many of these people are not innocent. But if you’re going to bring them to court, you must have a strong case,” Marcos said, emphasizing due process and the rule of law. “Look, what happens — we rush things, our evidence is incomplete, our evidence is weak, but we insist, and then we lose the case. Can you imagine? I think that will be much, much worse.”
The president’s remarks align with a broader push to reform how flood-control projects are managed and investigated, particularly after a wave of public outrage over irregularities in multimillion-peso contracts. He stressed that accountability must be pursued through proper legal channels, reflecting a commitment to thoroughness and transparency.
Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and ongoing probes
Marcos launched the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate corruption-tainted Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects. The commission, designed to operate with transparency and independence, has so far held numerous closed-door hearings and summoned government officials and contractors linked to anomalies. While the ICI has publicized only one interim report so far, it urged the Office of the Ombudsman to push graft charges against 18 individuals in connection with a flawed flood-control project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million.
Among those named is former lawmaker Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, who resigned after denying the allegations. Co’s ties to the Sunwest Group of Companies, a contractor that secured a notable share of flood-control contracts with the DPWH, has drawn scrutiny amid broader concerns about budget insertions and multi-million-peso kickbacks in infrastructure spending.
What this means for governance and future projects
The president has signaled a long-term strategy: crack down on “big fish” behind corruption and reform the incentives that allowed bad actors to thrive. In a prior podcast episode, he indicated that decisive action against those responsible for faulty flood-control projects will continue once the ICI concludes its investigation.
Marcos is not simply aiming to prosecute individuals; he is advocating changes to the system that allowed graft to persist. “You cannot dismantle that system unless you remove those players. We will remove them, whoever they may be, so that the system will be fixed,” he asserted, acknowledging that neglect and indifference previously enabled corrupt practices.
Public accountability and the path forward
Analysts say the administration’s challenge lies in translating investigations into timely, credible prosecutions that can withstand scrutiny in court. The emphasis on strong cases, procedural rigor, and transparency could boost public trust in anti-corruption efforts and deter future infra-related malfeasance.
As the ICI continues its hearings and the Office of the Ombudsman weighs charges, the administration faces the test of turning investigations into concrete reforms. If successful, the approach could serve as a blueprint for ensuring integrity across future flood-control and infrastructure initiatives, reinforcing the government’s pledge to “follow the law” and uphold accountability at all levels.
