Malacañang said that accountability over the massive corruption in the country's flood control projects cannot be achieved through "eloquent speeches or finger-pointing."

It should be through sufficient evidence, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

She added that following this principle does not mean they are defending anyone implicated in the billions worth of infrastructure anomalies.

The Palace official was reacting to the privilege speech of Senator Francis Escudero, where he claimed that the investigation on flood control projects is following what he called a “script” by former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

"Kung iyan po siguro ang kaniyang napapansin at nakikita, malamang hindi naman din po iyan ang napapansin ng iba. Sabi nga po natin, sa ngayon lahat po ng naituturo, lahat ng nababanggit na pangalan dapat nating ikonsidera na inosente (If that is what he happens to notice or see, it may not necessarily be the same thing for others. As we have said, for now, everyone being pointed to, every name being mentioned, should be considered innocent)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

"They should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Let us go to where the evidence leads us," Castro stressed.

The Palace press officer further said that pieces of evidence can be submitted to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was formed by President Marcos, to determine who should truly be held accountable.

"So, ang mangyayari po dito, hindi po kasi nadadaan sa magandang talumpati, hindi nadadaan sa pagtuturo ang pagpapanagot sa mga nasabing umabuso ng pondo kung hindi sa pamamagitan ng sapat na ebidensiya (So in this case, accountability cannot be achieved through eloquent speeches or finger-pointing, but only through sufficient evidence)," Castro said.

"So, ang mga ebidensiyang ito, maaari naman pong ibigay sa ICI at ang ICI naman po ay isang independent commission na maaaring tumingin ng lahat ng mga evidence, facts, records para matumbok kung sino ang dapat na mapanagot (These pieces of evidence can be submitted to the ICI, and the ICI, as an independent commission, can examine all the evidence, facts, and records to determine who should truly be held accountable)," Castro added.

Castro also reacted to Vice President Sara Duterte's statement that the President "continues to display flawed judgment" from the time he chose Romualdez as House speaker to the changes of leadership in both Houses at the height of the flood control anomalies investigations.

"Hindi po natin ipinagtatanggol dito ang former House Speaker or Representative Romualdez pero babase lamang po tayo sa kaniyang naging salaysay (We are not defending former House speaker Romualdez here but we are only referring to her statement)," Castro said, pointing out that being mentioned is different from conviction.

The Palace official argued that the Vice President must not put the blame to Marcos amid the widespread corruption in infrastructure.

"Huwag niya pong ipahid, huwag ipahid ng Bise Presidente kung anuman ang patungkol sa mga maanomalyang nagaganap ngayon (So the Vice President should not try to pin on him anything related to the anomalies taking place now)," Castro said.

Castro has also once again brought up the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, stressing that the Vice President should not try to transfer what happened in the previous administration onto the President.

"Hindi po malilinis ng Bise Presidente ang mga akusasyon, hindi lamang akusasyon kung hindi pag-amin ng kanyang ama mismo tungkol sa pagnanakaw sa pondo ng bayan (The Vice President cannot erase the accusations—not merely accusations, but even her own father’s admission regarding the plunder of public funds)," Castro said.

"So, huwag niya pong ipahid kung anuman ang nangyari noong nakaraang panahon at ng administrasyon sa Pangulo na ngayon na siya mismo nagpapaimbestiga ng maanomalyang flood control projects. Ang tangi lamang po yata niyang alam ay sirain ang Pangulong Marcos Jr. (So she should not attempt to pin on the President the events and wrongdoings of the past and of the previous administration, especially now that he himself is initiating an investigation into the anomalous flood control projects. It seems that the only thing she knows how to do is attack President Marcos Jr.)," she added.