Youth party Kabataan urged Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to look at himself in the mirror, saying the President is “obviously scamming” the people in his report on the ongoing investigation regarding the flood control scandal.
Kabataan Representative and Assistant Minority Leader Atty. Renee Co expressed discontent at the president’s press briefing on Thursday morning, further accusing Marcos Jr. of “hypocrisy.”
“Pass sa halatang scam. Umay na po tayo sa paghabol sa mga nadadawit na nepobabies at mga small fish,” Co said in a statement.
“Kung may hahabulin, dapat unahin ang mga mastermind. Manalamin naman kayo. Hanggang ngayon, feeling inosente at spared pa rin sa imbestigasyon ang pangulo?” she added.
In his press conference, Marcos pointed out that the Office of the Ombudsman has referred complaints against Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials connected with five irregular projects.
He identified DPWH First Bulacan District Engineering Office engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza and Paul Jayson Duya sa those involved in irregularities.
Marcos also named construction companies and their owners who would be prosecuted for corruption and tax liabilities.
Marcos also said that his administration will go after several lawmakers, declining however to confirm whether his cousin and former House of Representatives (HOR) Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez are among those being investigated.
He also said former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizalde Co’s passport cannot be suspended without a Court order
But Kabataan’s Renee Co pointed out that Marcos’ report is silent on the president’s liability for approving 214.4 bilyon worth of public works project funded from the so-called Unprogrammed Appropriations (UAs)in 2023 and 2024.
Only Marcos can approve UA disbursements, the youth representative said.
“Walang sense of self-criticism and accountability ang report,” she added.
“Tama na ang main character script. Hindi dapat marked safe ang mga Marcos, Duterte at iba pang naghaharing dinastiya sa laban ng mamamayan kontra korapsyon,” the young lawmaker said.
November 30 anti-corruption protests
Co’s criticisms were echoed by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) that said Marcos should not be proud of his so-called achievements three months after his State of the Nation Address last July.
“What did Marcos Jr and his government really achieve over the past three months? He jailed hundreds of anti-corruption protesters, he established the so-called Independent Commission for Infrastructure to evade accountability, and his allies in the House of Representatives have passed a budget containing ‘allocable’ pork barrel funds and unprogrammed appropriations,” BAYAN secretary general Raymond Palatino said in a separate statement.
What Marcos Jr’s “accomplishment report” cannot hide is the fact that no contractor or elected official has faced detention for the large-scale and systematic corruption in the government, Palatino pointed out.
Palatino, himself a former Kabataan representative, said Marcos continues to sell himself as someone aligned with the public clamor for accountability while being the chief culprit responsible for drafting, signing, and implementing the corruption-tainted national budget.
BAYAN on the public to attend the next major anti-corruption rally at Rizal Park.
“On November 30, Bonifacio Day, let us gather in Luneta and other parts of the country to express outrage and to push for genuine change in society,” Palatino said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
