Iglesia wants ICI public hearing on flood control mess

Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo yesterday called on the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to be transparent not only with its findings, but also with the process of its investigation into the corruption in flood control projects.

- By EVELYN MACAIRAN

“The investigation should be open and should be witnessed by the public. We believe that in order to achieve peace, we need to continuously investigate these anomalies, and these should be done with transparency and without favor,” the INC leader said.

Malacañang, for its part, reiterated the independence of the commission, noting that President Marcos does not want a cover-up.

Manalo’s strongly worded statement, read by INC spokesman Edwil Zabala on Net25, said the religious group is closely following the developments of the investigations being conducted by the Senate and the ICI on the flood control mess.

The INC said the arguments and quarreling brought about by the revelations during the hearings and the politically charged debates of some people caused confusion among the people.

"Like many Filipinos, we are also waiting not only for the results of the probe that should be truthful and trustworthy, but how this will be done without doubt," Manalo said in Filipino.

"As it should be, the persons behind the theft of hundreds of billions of pesos from public funds should be made accountable. At a time when the people are facing hardships, this is being done to exact justice and serve as a deterrent for others," he added.