Palace: Marcos is willing to be investigated amid flood control anomalies
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Mark Balmores)
Malacañang said President Marcos is willing to submit himself to investigation for allegedly receiving millions of pesos in campaign contributions from public works contractors.
While Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said they leave it to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate whether or not Marcos indeed received campaign funds from contractors, she also said the President would also be willing to be investigated.
"Let the Comelec do its job. Investigate," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Monday, Sept. 22.
According to a Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) report, Marcos and his then running mate, Vice President Sara Duterte, got tens of millions of pesos in campaign funds from contractors despite a provision in the Omnibus Election Code that bans candidates from accepting contributions from entities that do business with the government.
However, if evidence points to the President, Castro said Marcos will not be excusing himself from the investigation conducted by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which he recently formed.
"The President is willing to be investigated," Castro said.
"Opo. Matapang po ang Pangulo at alam po niya ang kanyang ginagawa at kung ano man ang maaaring maimbestigahan dito, hindi rin po niya ie-excuse ang sarili niya (Yes. The President is brave and knows what he is doing, and whatever may be investigated here, he will not excuse himself)," Castro stressed.
The PCIJ report showed that Marcos received at least P20 million campaign funds.