Rebutting claims by the lawyer of former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, an official of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Wednesday emphasized that the investigative work into the anomalies in flood control projects has been based on evidence and testimonies from personalities, who themselves admitted involvement.
According to Brian Hosaka, executive director of the ICI, all the recommendations for the filing of charges that the three-man fact-finding panel had submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman were ‘on the basis of the testimonies and on the basis of the evidence given to us.’
‘As far as the ICI is concerned, whenever we make our referrals, it is based on our evidence gathering. It’s based on the facts that we’ve accepted or discovered,’ he told reporters.
Hosaka was reacting to a remark by Ruy Rondain, lawyer of Co, who faced reporters earlier on the same day.
During the press conference, Rondain had dismissed as ‘hearsay and speculation’ the past and present probe into the massive corruption in public infrastructure projects that implicated Co in various kickback schemes.
‘I’m telling you now, there’s no evidence and no (cases) should be filed. No crime was committed by my client,’ Rondain said.
Co’s lawyer said that he answered questions from the media on behalf of Co to ‘realign and redirect the narrative’ against Co.
‘Let’s refrain from using hearsay and speculation because it will not stand in a court of law,’ he added.