House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte are among five lawmakers scheduled to appear as resource persons before the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) in its ongoing investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
In an advisory, the ICI said its December 2–5 hearings will also include the following lawmakers as resource persons:
• Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin “Benjie” Agarao Jr.
• Bulacan 1st District Rep. Danilo “Danny” Domingo
• Benguet Lone District Rep. Eric Yap
Officials and representatives from the Land Bank of the Philippines have also been invited to attend the hearings.
The ICI earlier announced that it is prepared to livestream its proceedings and is awaiting a resource person who agrees to have their testimony broadcast publicly.
Last week, Marcos told the commission he is ready to testify at any time and welcomed the opportunity to clarify any issues. His statement came after resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co alleged that Marcos and his father, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ordered budget insertions in the proposed 2025 national budget. The younger Marcos dismissed the claims as “fantastical,” “false,” and part of a destabilization attempt.
Duterte, son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, has also denied allegations from House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio regarding supposed non-existent flood control projects in his district. Duterte earlier said that all flood control works along the Davao and Matina Rivers were implemented, inspected, and validated by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Commission on Audit (COA). Tinio had raised concerns over what he said were questionable projects amounting to at least P4.35 billion.
Agarao, meanwhile, was among several lawmakers named by contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya in alleged corruption linked to flood control projects. Yap was tagged as a “person of interest” by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla in October in connection with fully paid but unfinished flood control projects in La Union by a firm he previously owned. Domingo was identified by former DPWH assistant district engineer Danny Domingo as among three lawmakers who supposedly received kickbacks from projects under the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office.
Agarao, Yap, and Domingo have all denied involvement in any irregularities related to the controversy.
