President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should not be exempt from the ongoing probe into the multibillion-peso flood control fund controversy, as he personally signed the 2025 national budget that contained the questioned allocations, Kamanggagawa Partylist Representative Eli San Fernando said on Thursday.
In a television interview, San Fernando stressed that accountability must reach all levels, including the Chief Executive himself.
“Hindi ligtas ang Presidente dito. Mali ‘yung sinasabi ni Usec. Claire Castro na ligtas ang Presidente dito. Hindi. Mga tao, nakikita ‘yan na complicit din ang Presidente dito,” the lawmaker said.
San Fernando pointed out that Marcos could not fully claim innocence despite exposing the alleged irregularities in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control projects.
“Siya nga nag-bulgar eh… Paano magiging sangkot ang isang tao na nagbulgar ng issue ng korapsyon? It doesn’t follow,” he added.
The controversy stemmed from Marcos’ own revelations in his 2025 State of the Nation Address, where he ordered an audit of flood mitigation projects after learning that 20% of DPWH contracts over the past decade went to just 15 private contractors.
While San Fernando doubted that the President would be directly implicated, he said public pressure would be key to ensuring accountability.
“Kasi kahit na sabihin natin napakalakas ng ebidensya… kung wala namang malakas na panawagan sa mga tao… magtatakipan na lang kung ano man gusto nilang takpan,” he warned.
Earlier, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro maintained that Marcos was confident he would not be linked to the scandal, saying the President had always acted in the public’s best interest.