Metro Manila, Philippines – The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) told former Rep. Zaldy Co to face its investigation and testify under oath for his statements to be considered “credible” after he implicated President Bongbong Marcos in the multibillion-peso flood control corruption.
In a press briefing on Monday, Nov. 17, ICI executive director Brian Hosaka said the commission treats the three-part video of Co as an “unverified statement.”
The former House appropriations chairman earlier tagged Marcos as the mastermind of an alleged P100-billion insertion in the 2025 national budget, as well as a recipient of billions of pesos in flood control kickbacks.
“Ang ebidensya mas matibay kung talagang ito ay sworn to or verified. In this particular case, it’s not,” Hosaka said.
[Translation: The evidence holds weight if this is sworn or verified. In this particular case, it’s not]
“We’ve been inviting him. So the fact that we’ve been inviting him, we want to know his statements under oath before the commission. Kasi malaking bagay ‘yan [because that is a big deal],” he added.
Hosaka said the ICI legal team may soon seek the court’s help to issue an indirect contempt order on Co for snubbing its subpoena twice. The resigned lawmaker has been out of the country since the flood control mess unfolded.
Meanwhile, Hosaka said the videos posted by Co may not hold water under the Rules of Court.
“Under the rules of evidence, kapag video kailangan untampered, dire-diretso. Plus the fact there’s also a requirement under the rules of court and rules of evidence that the person taking the video should verify and validate this video. Nakita natin the fact that it is shown in tranches, mahihirapan tayo na mai-submit ito sa korte and for them to accept this as basis,” he explained.
[Translation: Under the rules of evidence, the video has to be untampered and must be taken in full. There’s also a requirement under the rules of court and rules of evidence that the person taking the video should verify and validate this video. We saw it is shown in tranches, hence it may be hard for us to submit it to court and accept it as evidence.]
Hosaka said the commission has no plans as yet to summon the president.
Marcos formed the ICI and appointed its members in September to probe anomalies in flood control projects and submit recommendations to the Ombudsman for filing of charges in court.
