'Self-serving' agencies slammed as flood inquiry goes nowhere
Minority Leader and Abang Lingkod Party-List Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano castigated on Wednesday the self-serving stance of the government agencies that participated in the House inquiry on the post-typhoon flood tragedy.
Paduano, speaking in a virtual press conference, said it was this stance that caused Tuesday's important investigation to go nowhere in terms of identifying where the buck should stop.
"For me napaka-self serving nung deliberation kahapon with regards to the agencies (The deliberation yesterday with regards to the agencies was very self-serving)," he said.
"My conclusion on the first hearing was, instead of getting answers to questions--questions of culpability and accountability--mas dumami pa ata ang tanong kaysa mga sagot (there were more new questions than answers)," he added.
On Tuesday, the Committees on Agriculture and Food and on Northern Luzon Growth Quadrangle jointly took up House Resolution (HR) No. 1345, or the call to investigate the "untimely and irresponsible opening of floodgates of dams and watersheds in Luzon during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses." Bagong Henerasyon Party-List Rep. Bernadette Herrera filed the measure.
Referring to the joint inquiry, Paduano said: "Since everyone was not at fault, it appears that the deadly flood can only be attributed to the force of nature. Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) issued proper warning, NIA (National Irrigation Administration) followed protocol in the release of water from Magat Dam, and OCD (Office of Civil Defense) warned the public of possible flooding."
"They were not remiss in their jobs, according to them. But those are merely self-serving claims of these agencies."
"But of course the job of Congress is to validate and find the truth. On the looks of it, we need to dig deeper to get more information," Paduano said, noting that lives were lost in the flooding.
"That's why, we, in the Minority have requested for another hearing and ensure that the secretaries of the different departments must be in attendance. Further, the governors of Cagayan and Isabela must also be present," he said.