Senator Rodante Marcoleta, on Sept. 29, defended his wife after reports surfaced linking her to an insurance company connected to contractors implicated in the multibillion-peso flood control corruption scandal.

According to Bilyonaryo's report, Marcoleta holds a directorship at an insurance company that provided bonds for contractors owned by Curlee and Sara Discaya, raising concerns of conflict of interest. Marcoleta formerly headed the Senate Blue Ribbon panel investigating the country's anomalous flood control projects. It was under his leadership that the Discayas came out to disclose what they know about the kickback scheme with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials.

He was also the one who made the recommendation that they be placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

When asked about the issue, Marcoleta dismissed the allegations as weakly researched and politically motivated.

“Ang hina naman ng nag-research na iyon. Alam mo diyan lang pinalilitaw talaga, bayaran na ang mga media ngayon eh. Hindi man lang nila tiningnan yung aking asawa ay isang independent director (That research was really weak. You know, they’re just making it appear that way, because the media are already paid off nowadays. They didn’t even bother to check that my wife is an independent director),” he said.

Marcoleta explained the role of an independent director, stressing that such a position prohibits ownership or familial ties with the company’s owners.

“Ang independent director ay hindi ka magqua-qualify kapag ikaw ay may kamag-anak dun sa may-ari. At kung ikaw ay may pag-aari doon at mayroon kang kakilala sa mga namumuno doon at nagpapasya lahat dun. Di ganun ang independent director (An independent director does not qualify if you are related to the owner. Or if you have ownership there, or if you personally know the ones managing and making all the decisions. That’s not what an independent director is),” he said.

“Dapat independent ka. Ang katungkulan mo lang i-protect ang minority shareholders at paminsan-minsan humahatol ka sa good governance, yung objectivity ng kanilang pagpapapasya, pero kahit kailan wala kang pagmamay-ari doon, wala kang kinalamanan kung sino man yung may mga interests doon (You have to be independent. Your role is only to protect the minority shareholders and, from time to time, make judgments on good governance and the objectivity of their decisions. But at no point do you have ownership there, nor do you have anything to do with those who hold interests in the company),” he added.

The senator further argued that the insurance company’s dealings with contractors should not automatically imply wrongdoing.

“Ngayon po halimbawa kung sasabihin nila dahil may mga contractors na nagpasya na kuhain yung serbisyo ng kinasasangkutan na insurance, eh tingnan po ninyo yung mga sasakyan ninyo baka nakuha po yung pinag-uusapan nating insurance. Ibig ba sabihin pati mga sasakyan niyo may problema na rin? (“For example, if they say that there are contractors who decided to get the services of the insurance company in question, then look at your own vehicles — maybe they’re also covered by the same insurance we’re talking about. Does that mean your vehicles also have a problem?)” he said.

Pressed on whether the situation creates a perception of conflict of interest, Marcoleta said critics are merely trying to create that narrative.

“Yun po yung gusto nilang palabasin. Pero palagay ko naman sa pamamagitan ng programang katulad ninyo maipapaliwanag kahit unti unti mahimasmasan yung mga nag-iisip ng kung ano-ano lalong-lalo na yung may motibo rito (That’s what they want to make it look like. But I believe that through programs like yours, we can explain things little by little so that those thinking all sorts of things — especially those with motives — can be enlightened),” he said.

“Mayroon po kasi kaming nakita koneksyon dun sa mga naninira na yan. Siguro sa mga susunod na araw ibubulgar din natin dahil nga ang kagustuhan lang nila ay makapanira kahit sa anumang paraan, hindi man lang nila isasaalang-alang na wala namang connection yung pagiging independent director ng aking may bahay (We have actually seen a connection with those people who are attacking us. Maybe in the coming days we’ll expose it, because their only aim is to destroy in any way possible, without even considering that my wife’s position as an independent director has no connection at all),” he added.