Malacañang affirmed that due process is being observed in all legal proceedings in relation to the investigation of  anomalous flood control projects.

In a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 20, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro asserted that President Marcos wants due process to be observed in all legal proceedings.

She said this when sought for reaction on the statement of former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla that "there seems to be no due process" over the issuance of an arrest warrant and hold departure order against him over the alleged P92.8 million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

"Sa atin po muli ang gusto ng Pangulo laging due process kaya siguro po nagtagal ang ibang pagsasampa ng kaso dahil kinakailangan pong igalang ang due process. Sabi ko nga po, kung iyan po ang naging opinyon ng dating senador Bong Revilla malamang gagamitin niya po iyan bilang kaniyang depensa (The President wants due process to be followed, which is probably why some cases took a long time to be filed, because due process needs to be respected. As I said, if that was the opinion of former senator Bong Revilla, he would likely use it as part of his defense)," Castro said.

The Palace official, however, said they respect Revilla's opinion.

"Kung ano man po ang kanyang nararamdaman ay igagalang po natin pero in general, iyan po talaga ang magiging opinion at damdamin ng isang naaakusahan at iyan din po ang kaniyang magiging depensa para po maipakita sa taumbayan na siya ay walang kinalaman, so it’s just normal for an accuse (Whatever he is feeling, we will respect it, but in general, that is really the opinion and feeling of someone who is accused, and that will also be his defense to show the public that he has no involvement. So it’s just normal for an accused person)," Castro said.

According to Castro, President Marcos was surprised when learned that Revilla, who is among his allies, was linked to an alleged ghost project.

But, even if Revilla is an ally of the President, Castro added that if an investigation is necessary—ally or not, they must be investigated.

"Una pa lang pong nabanggit ang pangalang Senator Bong Revilla doon pa lang po nag-react na po ang Pangulo. Siyempre nagulat po siya dahil kaalyado nga niya po, pero sabi nga niya po makailang ulit sabihin niya kahit nga po kaalyado kung kailangang imbestigahan dapat imbestigahan (Even from the very first mention of Senator Bong Revilla’s name, the President already reacted. Of course, he was surprised because he is an ally, but as he said, no matter how many times he has to say it—even if it is an ally—if an investigation is necessary, it should be conducted)," Castro said.

In a separate interview, Castro said the President was sad over Revilla's current situation, but stressed that process must still be followed.

"Natanong nating kanina yung Pangulo kanina na nagkaroon tayong ng meeting. Tinanong ko siya kung ano nararamdaman niya. Sabi niya malungkot siya dahil nakasama  niya ito sa Alyansa at kaibigan niya si Sen. Revilla pero ganoon pa man proseso pa din ang mananaig so iyon na lang po. Kailangan po pagdaanan ito dahil ito may proseso. Still sinabi niya na malungkot siya sa nangyari (We asked the President earlier during our meeting how he was feeling. I asked him what he felt, and he said he was sad because he was with him in the Alyamsa and Senator Revilla is his friend. But even so, the process will still prevail, so that’s it. This needs to be gone through because there is a process. He still said that he is sad about what happened)," Castro said.