Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee should not stop its investigation into flood control projects and the government’s use of unprogrammed funds, stressing that many unresolved issues remain.

She also addressed rumors that the Blue Ribbon investigation into questionable flood control projects might be discontinued.

“Yes, hindi naman nagtatapos sa flood control at nakita natin na may mga testigo pa na nais pang magsalita at iyong sa unprogrammed pa na hindi pa natatalakay. Tapos may foreign assisted pa na trillion nga. Nako, napakarami pa ng bitin kaya nagtataka ako. Kapag nagsasalita ako tungkol sa unprogrammed parang pinipigil kami kasi aabot ‘yun sa mas mataas eh kasi pataas nang pataas kasi ang tinutumbok eh,” Marcos said in a live interview on DZRH's Damdaming Bayan.

“Ang balita wala na raw Blue Ribbon, tiklop na raw iyong imbestigasyon? Iyong announcement kagabi. Nakakatawa nga, hindi na ko naniniwala din sa imbestigasyon na alam mo na ang ending. Mayroon bang sine na alam mo na ang ending, san naman ang suspense doon? Parang bawal umabot na lampas ni Zaldy Co. Hanggang doon lang tapos pupukulan ka na. Quiet ka na,” she added.

The senator expressed frustration over what she described as a “scripted” process.

“Kinakailangan alamin ang nangyari, kung ano ang totoo, huwag pagbabawalan. Huwag susunod sa script. Nagagalit na nga ang ibang senador, may script daw ng sarsuela ito,” she said.

She further warned that political distractions could derail the probe.

“Kaya hindi maganda ang mga nangyayare, gulong-gulo na kami. At bubuhayin na naman daw ang impeachment, bubuhayin na naman daw ang cha-cha. At may alingawngaw pa ng Martial law. Ano ba yan?” she added.

On Monday, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero accused former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez of crafting a “script” to shift the blame to senators and divert public attention from alleged flood control anomalies in the House. Escudero also claimed that Romualdez was orchestrating a “sarswela” to shield House lawmakers connected to the flood control kickback scheme.

Meanwhile, Senator Marcos stressed the need to scrutinize massive allocations for flood control and unprogrammed funds, which she said amount to hundreds of billions of pesos, even as Filipinos continue to endure widespread flooding.

She also raised alarm over the scale of unprogrammed appropriations, pegged at around ₱700 to ₱800 billion, and foreign-assisted projects amounting to about ₱1 trillion. She questioned why, despite massive spending on flood control, major waterways such as the Cagayan de Oro River, Pampanga Bay, Pasig River, and Marikina River remain prone to flooding.

“Bakit bahang-baha pa rin tayo sa bilyones na ‘yan, nasaan napunta ‘yung mga pera na ‘yan, na-wash out lahat?” Marcos said.

Marcos also accused the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) of employing a questionable practice that allows the release of unprogrammed funds even if there are no savings.

"Ang balita sa DBM, magbayad ka ng 5 to 10% pwede ng i-release ang unprogrammed kahit walang savings. Very magical,” she said.

"Bulok talaga ang sistema mula DBM hanggang DPWH lahat yan may gulo pa rin," she added.

She further claimed that syndicates tied to POGOs and contractors had infiltrated government funding channels, echoing Vice President Sara Duterte’s earlier warnings.

“'Yung nabanggit ni VP Duterte na tungkol sa mga sindikato, sa POGO. Ako, ayoko kasi ng I told you so very manang ang dating, I wish I were wrong pero Mayo pa lang nag-aalala na ako bakit tumatanggap ng donasyon sa POGO, sa sindikato, sa kontraktor. Sinasabihan ko na sina Bonjing [Rep. Martin Romualdez] dahan-dahan kayo diyan baka may hingin ‘yan na hindi niyo kayang ibigay. Tapos may 2023 nag-umpisa na ‘yung tambaloslos at yung confidential funds ginulo na ng ginulo” Marcos said.

On accountability, the senator called on his brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to say that even her cousin, Romualdez, should not be spared from investigations if implicated. “He’s kind, but don’t allow nonsense."

"Parang hindi niya kayang pagsabihan talaga si Martin (Romualdez). Alam ko mabait siya pero huwag namang papayag ng kabulastugan. Pinsan mo pero kung siya naman talaga ang tinutumbok ng imbestigasyon, wala tayong magagawa, tiisan ito,” she stressed.

Marcos also remarked that her brother should take lessons from the controversies, stressing that investigations must be allowed to uncover the truth.

"Kung maaari sana sa aking kapatid [Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] itong lahat ay nangyari na dapat natuto tayo ng mga leksyon. Kaya kung may mga imbestigasyon...Hayaan natin na lumabas ang totoo at 'yung mga halatang-halata na. 'Yung obvious na obvious na isang bundok na ang ebidensya. Ikulong na, now na. I-prosecute, huwag ng mag-imbestiga pa," she said. "Huwag tayong maghintay talagang naiinip ang bansa at maraming gutom."