President Marcos will not interfere in the upcoming investigation on the controversial Manila Bay dolomite beach, an artificial beach project built during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Emphasizing that separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative branches, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro distanced the Palace from the planned House inquiry.

"Unang una po muli, ipapaala natin na may separation of powers. So, kung ano man po ang magiging trabaho at gagawing hakbang ng House of Representatives sa pag-iimbestiga dito sa Dolomite Beach ay 'yan naman po ang kanilang trabaho at hindi po hahadlang sa ano mang hakbang ang Pangulo patungkol diyan (First of all, we would like to remind everyone that there is a separation of powers. So, whatever actions or investigations the House of Representatives undertakes regarding the Dolomite Beach issue are within their mandate, and the President will not interfere with any of their proceedings)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

However, the Palace official recognized that the hearing would serve as an opportunity to determine whether the highly-criticized artificial beach was linked to the recent flooding in Metro Manila, or whether there were irregularities involved in its implementation.

"At maaari na rin po talagang maging hakbang ito para makita kung talaga ba 'tong nagkaroon  ng anomalya, kung meron bang naidulot ito sa nangyayaring pagbaha sa Metro Manila at kung nakaapekto ito sa kalikasan ng ating bansa (This move could also serve as a way to determine whether there were indeed anomalies involved, if it contributed to the flooding in Metro Manila, and if it had any impact on the country’s environment)," Castro said.

Castro said it was not right to call the move of the House of Representatives to investigate the Dolomite Beach project as politically-motivated, stressing that the upcoming probe is justified.

"Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na kapag po iniimbestigahan ang mga proyekto ng nakaraang administrasyon ito ay pamumulitika lamang (It does not necessarily mean that when projects from the previous administration are being investigated, it is already an act of politicking)," Castro said.

"Ibig po bang sabihin kapagka pinaiimbestigahan ang nakaraang proyekto na nagawa noong nakaraang administrasyon dapat hindi na ito paimbestigahan dahil otherwise it will be considered as politicizing (Does it mean that if a project from the past administration is being probed, it should not be investigated anymore because otherwise it would be considered politicizing)?" Castro questioned.

The Palace official pointed out that if the lawmakers stop looking into what happened during the previous administration, "it would be as if all their actions were automatically excused."

"So, tama naman po ito pero muli ang sabi ng Pangulo at ng administrasyong ito, hindi po sila makikialam kung ano po ang ginagawa ng mga mambabatas natin sa kanilang pag iimbestiga (So, this investigation is justified. However, as the President and this administration have said, they will not interfere in whatever actions our lawmakers take in conducting their investigation)," Castro said.

Castro also warned those who will be claiming that Marcos was the one behind the investigation, saying it would be unreasonable to do so.

She dared them to establish the President's involvement in the planned probe first before they accuse him of initiating it.

"Bago sila magsalita niyan patunayan muna nila ang Pangulo ang behind dito sa Dolomite beach probe. Kasi kung wala at nag-speculate lang tayo, sasabihin nila na ang Pangulo ang behind dito, hindi naman po iyong makatwiran at unfair naman po 'yan sa Pangulo (Before they make such statements, they should first prove that the President is behind the Dolomite Beach probe. Because if there’s no proof and it’s just speculation, and they claim that the President is behind it, that would be unreasonable and unfair to him)," Castro said.