Tiangco Seeks to Strengthen ICI; Public Doubtful of Bernardo

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco reiterated his push for the passage of his proposed measure, which seeks to give the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) more teeth to investigate and hold accountable those involved in anomalous flood control projects.

According to Tiangco, his House Bill No. 5699 will help make ICI investigations and the filing of appropriate cases faster and more effective.

Under the proposal, the ICI will be transformed into the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (ICAIC) and will be granted the authority to file cases, issue subpoenas and hold departure orders, and conduct broader investigations.

“Ito (ICI) ay tutulong sa Ombudsman at DOJ na mapabilis natin ang proseso because meron tayong responsibilidad sa mamamayang Pilipino na makita kaagad na seryoso dito sa imbestigasyon, dahil ito yung pinakamalaking corruption scandal sa history ng ating bansa,” Tiangco said.

At the same time, the public is questioning the selective memory of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo in his testimonies before the Senate.

To recall, Bernardo’s inconsistent testimonies have prompted the ICI to reevaluate the cases they plan to file.

Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin even called Bernardo unreliable because the evidence he presents consists mostly of hearsay or gossip.

It will be recalled that Bernardo repeatedly failed to attend ICI hearings due to “medical reasons,” yet appeared well whenever he faced the Senate.

The public believes that Bernardo is being used merely to discredit certain individuals rather than to reveal the truth, in exchange for being placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).