Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson cast doubt on the neutrality of the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with its ongoing investigation into controversies surrounding anomalous flood control projects.
‘What do you think? Look at who appointed him (Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla)?’ Singson said during a forum in Quezon City on Friday, responding to a question about the actions taken by the anti-graft body’s chief.
‘The Ombudsman should be neutral,’ he added.
Asked if he believes the Ombudsman is neutral, Singson replied, ‘Do you believe he is?’
Apart from this, Singson earlier claimed that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is skipping Ilocos Norte – the home province of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – in its investigation of the flood control anomalies.
In a recent interview, Singson said the ICI should investigate Ilocos Norte first to give the flood control probe credibility.
‘ICI, it was created by the President himself. They are stopping those who are speaking there. They are stopping when something is said and has already been mentioned, ‘don’t put that in.’ That I’m sure,’ the former governor said.
When asked who was hindering resource persons from mentioning certain names, Singson said, ‘Chairman [Andre] Reyes [Jr].’
However, the commission chair denied these allegations.
Meanwhile, ICI special adviser Rodolfo Azurin said no ‘ghost’ projects were found in the four flood control sites inspected by the commission and the Department of Public Works and Highways in Ilocos Norte.
‘So far, it’s okay, because we saw that in the projects we went to, at least, no ghosts were seen,’ Azurin said in Filipino.
‘As for the standard, that’s what we’re going to violate now, and what the engineers will leave behind here; they’ll look at the other projects that they say have ghosts,’ he added.
In the same forum, Singson later escalated his criticism, saying the President should resign.
‘Better for the president to resign, he has no way out here, the people are fed up now,’ he said.
‘That’s more honorable, he should not wait for the people’s wrath, ‘ he added.