Marcos on ICI livestream plan: Let them decide

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is leaving it up to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to decide whether to livestream its hearings, stressing that the executive branch will not interfere in the commission’s operations.

“I don’t think it has an effect on the credibility of the process,” Marcos said when asked about ICI’s plan to allow the public to watch its proceedings.

The president said the ICI has yet to finalize its internal rules, including those that would govern the livestreaming of its hearings.

He added that the government is respecting the commission’s independence and will allow it to make decisions on procedural matters.

“I really have an opinion, of course, but talagang ang gusto kong makita ng tao, hindi ako nakikialam, the executive, the government, hindi nakikialam diyan. (What I want people to see is that I am not interfering, the executive, the government, is not meddling there.) We provide them a budget and we allow them to run everything the way they want,” Marcos said.

“Talagang nirerespeto namin ‘yung unang ‘I,’ ‘Independent,’ Independent Commission on Infrastructure. (We truly respect the first ‘I’ in ICI — Independent.) Let us make sure they are truly independent,” he added.

The ICI, led by former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr., is expected to finalize its livestreaming rules by next month, according to Executive Director Atty. Brian Hosaka.

The commission aims to strike a balance between transparency and the protection of individual rights as it investigates alleged anomalies in government flood control projects.

Since launching its probe on Sept. 19, the ICI has invited nearly 20 individuals, including lawmakers and Department of Public Works and Highways engineers, linked to the alleged irregularities.

Hosaka said the next hearing is set for Nov. 11, when former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo is expected to return to testify.