A private citizen has submitted a ‘letter of sentiment’ to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), urging it to investigate First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’ ties to former Special Envoy to China for Trade Maynard Ngu, the alleged bagman of Sen. Chiz Escudero.
ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka said on Tuesday, October 21, that the commission will review the private citizen’s letter to see whether sufficient grounds exist to summon Maynard Ngu and the First Lady to the probe.
‘Well, it’s up to the commission to decide on that if there’s any reliable and competent basis for the commission to invite any personality that would lead to finding the truth,’ he said at a press conference.
John Santander, who identifies as a cultural and peace advocate, told reporters he was concerned that allegations against tech billionaire Ngu surfaced two months ago. Yet, there has been no action from the ICI.
He attached media reports to his letter of sentiment, including photos of Marcos and Ngu attending several events together – one during a Cherry Mobile function, which Ngu owns, and another showing them dining with Escudero and his wife, Heart Evangelista, at Cork Wine Bar, which is reportedly also owned by Ngu.
“I wish to impress upon the Commission a lead that has not been explored – the possibility that First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos benefited as well from Maynard Ngy and/or vice-versa,”
What happened to Ngu?
Ngu resigned from a property firm shortly after former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo accused him of receiving P160 million on behalf of Sen. Chiz Escudero during the Senate probe on flood control projects.
Bernardo said he met Escudero and the tech billionaire, reportedly a close friend and campaign donor of the senator, over wine to talk about the DPWH’s alleged kickback operations.
After Bernardo testified, Ngu resigned as an independent director of Altus Property Ventures Inc., an Ilocos Norte-based firm chaired by Faraday Go, the brother of Presidential Economic and Investment Adviser Frederick Go. Although he said he stepped down due to ‘personal reasons.’
The alleged kickbacks to lawmakers are among the key issues in the corruption scandal involving publicly funded infrastructure projects.
Santander, however, also pointed to reports suggesting Ngu’s role in lobbying for Bernardo’s DPWH appointment and the First Lady’s possible influence over Palace postings.
While he sought action from the commission, he clarified that his appeal to the ICI was not politically motivated, saying he is neither a Duterte, Marcos or Robredo supporter.
At the commission’s discretion
Should the ICI find any basis for such leads, Hosaka said they will be invited at the commission’s discretion.
He also explained that such letters of sentiment, while accepted, must also be validated to ensure the integrity of the fact-finding body’s investigation.
‘We will carefully look into that because we want to make sure the commission is not being used for any political agenda,’ Hosaka said in Filipino.
Still, he assured that the commission will look into the leads that Santander mentioned while the investigation is ongoing.
‘We will investigate and we will make sure to call these people who will be responsible or who might be responsible to these anomalous flood control projects and other infrastructure projects,’ Hosaka added.