Rep. Pimentel: Imee, Ilocos Norte execs may be liable for plunder

Reps. Dakila Carlo Cua, Karlo Nograles and Johnny Pimentel in a Monday briefing. Photo: Vince F. Nonato

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and her subordinates may be held liable for plunder over various anomalous transactions entered into by the provincial government, House of Representatives good government committee chair Johnny Pimentel said on Monday.

“Pasok na pasok na po ito sa plunder (This is well within the range for plunder),” Pimentel said during Monday’s Ugnayan sa Batasan press briefing.

Despite Marcos’s continued insistence that she only relied on the representations of her subordinate procurement officials, Pimentel held her to be “the most responsible person for these transactions.”

“She is the head, the transactions bear the signatures of Gov. Imee Marcos,” he said.

Earlier during the committee’s hearing on Monday, art curator Eric Zerrudo disowned his signature in the apparently falsified bid documents and denied knowing that the Paoay Museum project to commemorate dictator Ferdinand Marcos was actually funded through government cash advances. /je

Art curator Eric Zerrudo, proprietor of Integrated Conservation Unltd., Inc., testifies in the House of Representatives’ hearing on the anomalies hounding the Ilocos Norte provincial government led by Governor Imee Marcos. Photo: Vince F. Nonato