• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has cleared Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero and two other former senators of any liability in connection with the flood control mess, after it found no sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of a case.
The ICI has however recommended to the Ombudsman the possible filing of cases of plunder, direct and indirect bribery, and corruption of public officials against former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., former party-list Representative Zaldy Co, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, former Public Works Undersecretaries Maria Catalina Cabral and Roberto Bernardo, and Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana.
In a statement, Escudero said the ICI’s recommendations were “based on evidence, weighed for their merit and the witnesses’ claims judged based on their credibility.”
The ICI did not find any guilt or liability on the part of Escudero, and former Senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay due to insufficient evidence to support the claims of former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo linking them to the flood control controversies.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes, ICI chairperson, said the recommendations were based on face-to-face interviews with and testimonies of senators, members of the House of Representatives, whistleblowers, contractors, and government officials, as well as affidavits and documents gathered the panel tasked to probe the flood control mess.
Escudero said there has never been any allegation of wrongdoing against him in his almost three decades in public service.
“We have always adhered to our laws, in everything that we do, and will continue to serve with integrity and accountability,” the senator said, stressing “we respect all the legal processes, and will continue to cooperate with the ongoing probes, in order to uncover the truth, and hold to account all who were involved, based on evidence.”
In a separate statement, Poe said the action of the ICI proves that there is no evidence to support the filing of charges against her.
“This is no surprise to me and to the people who know me because I [have] always conducted myself with utmost integrity,” Poe said.
Binay, who is now the mayor of Makati City, also said that the allegations against her, were all part of the attempt to divert attention away from the people actually behind the flood control anomalies.*
