If Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice has evidence of anomalies in the flood control projects, he should bring them to the Ombudsman, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro challenged.

Castro said Erice should bare everything he knows about the flood control scandal so that he will not be disappointed with how the investigation is proceeding.

"Kung mayroon pa pong ibang mga may hawak na ebidensiya katulad nitong si Congressman Erice. Kung mayroon kang alam Congressman Erice, pumunta na po kayo sa Ombudsman at doon ninyo na ibigay lahat ang alam po ninyo para hindi kayo ma-disappoint at sasabihin ang Pangulo ang siyang mayroong kagagawan para hindi siya masampahan ng kaso – obligasyon ninyo po, Congressman Erice (If there are others who have evidence like Congressman Erice, if you know something, Congressman Erice, please go to the Ombudsman and provide everything you know there so that you will not be disappointed and say that the President is the one responsible and that he is being spared from being charged. It is your obligation, Congressman Erice)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Thursday, Aug. 13.

Castro said this as a response to Erice's remarks that President Marcos' mention of former speaker Martin Romualdez in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) was just for optics, adding that the President cannot afford to to jail the former speaker.

Castro stressed that the President is aware that there are alleged witnesses against Romualdez, saying that the President acts based on evidence.

She further said that the President believes that if the evidence is complete, charges should be filed.

The Palace spokesperson also criticized Erice for his remarks that "are not backed with facts."

"Ang kanyang mga sinasabi ay laging may 'parang' 'I think' 'I don’t think' lahat ay puro galing lang sa kanyang isipan pero walang basehan, walang facts, puro theory (What he says always includes ‘it seems,’ ‘I think,’ and ‘I don’t think.’ Everything is based merely on his own thoughts, but there is no basis, no facts—just theories)," Castro said.

"Alam ninyo po sa gobyerno, hindi tayo dapat nabubuhay lagi sa theory, hindi tayo dapat laging nabubuhay sa paninira (You know, in government, we should not always rely on theories. We should not always operate on accusations)," Castro added.

Castro said what the lawmaker said "is merely his assumption," questioning him whether he has spoken with the President to know his position over the issue.

"Ang sinabi niya dito, again, sabi niya kasi 'I don’t think that the President can afford to jail former Speaker Martin Romualdez.' So, ito ay iniisip niya lang (What he said here, again, he said 'I don’t think that the President can afford to jail former Speaker Martin Romualdez.’ So, that is merely his assumption)," Castro pointed out.

"Nakausap niya ba iyong Pangulo nang diretso para malaman niya kung anong damdamin ng Pangulo patungkol dito sa mga tao na nasasangkot sa flood control mess? Kasi kung hindi niya nakausap ang Pangulo at hindi niya alam ang damdamin ng Pangulo (Has he spoken directly with the President to know how the President feels about the people involved in the flood control mess? Because if he has not spoken with the President and does not know the President’s position, then he should not speak)," Castro further said.

The Palace mouthpiece told Erice not to speak on behalf of the President.

"Huwag siyang magsalita. Huwag siyang magsalita na parang may alam siya sa sinasabi ng Pangulo. Wala siyang karapatan maging spokesperson ng Pangulo unless papalitan niya ako dito (He should not speak as if he knows what the President is saying or thinking. He has no right to be the President’s spokesperson—unless he replaces me here)," Castro said.

She also expressed intention to talk with the congressman face-to-face to ask him about his assumptions.

"Si Congressman Erice ang isa sa pinakagusto kong makausap kaharap kayo at tatanungin ko siya nang diretso, 'Saan nanggagaling ang lahat ng sinasabi mo?' Bigyan niya ako ng ebidensiya dahil puro ganito na intriga, mahirap sumagot nang puro intriga (Congressman Erice is one of the people I would most like to speak with face-to-face, and I would ask him directly, ‘Where are all the things you’re saying coming from?’ He should provide me with evidence because all of this is just intrigue and speculation. It is difficult to respond to nothing but intrigue)," she said.

In his latest SONA, Marcos acknowledged that the investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects has already reached his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

"Masakit man sa akin ito, pero kailangan nating gawin ang tama (Painful as this may be for me, we have to do what is right),” he then said.