PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his administration would not rush the investigation into the multibillion-peso flood control projects controversy, emphasizing that weakly built cases could undermine the government’s anti-corruption efforts.
Responding to growing public calls to swiftly prosecute those implicated, Marcos stressed that accusations and testimonies alone are insufficient to secure convictions.
“We know many of these people are not innocent. But if you’re going to bring them to court, you must have a very strong case,” he said in a teaser for his latest podcast episode released Sunday.
The President warned that filing incomplete or poorly substantiated cases could result in acquittals. “Look, what would happen if we rushed the investigation? We would have incomplete and unclear evidence… and we’d lose the cases. That would be much, much worse,” he said.
Marcos underscored the importance of due process, saying his administration will only go after those proven guilty.
“We have to follow the law. Otherwise, whatever we do is not legitimate,” he said.
The President earlier formed the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to look into alleged anomalies in infrastructure projects, particularly flood control works from the past decade. The ICI’s findings will guide the filing of appropriate charges.
Nearly a month since its formation, the commission has begun closed-door hearings and has summoned officials and contractors linked to questionable projects. In a previous podcast episode, Marcos vowed to go after the “big fish” once the ICI completes its probe into what he described as one of the most audacious corruption scandals in recent years.
