Quezon City 1st District Representative Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde appeared before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday to address allegations linking him to anomalies in flood control projects, asserting his innocence and vowing to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The lawmaker arrived at the ICI headquarters in Taguig City and, in an emotional interview with reporters, stated, “I am here to thoroughly go through the investigation to fight for my innocence.”
Atayde was emphatic about his commitment to the process, declaring: “We are not hiding anything. I will not hide, I will not avoid, I will not fly abroad.”
The hearing, scheduled for 9:30 a.m., proceeded behind closed doors after Atayde requested an executive session, which prevented the proceedings from being livestreamed to the public.
The actor-politician dismissed the allegations against him and his father, businessman Arturo Atayde, as “pure ‘hearsay.'” He challenged the ICI to produce concrete evidence, noting, “Up to this point, since September 8, they haven’t even given out anything against me or my father.”
Atayde is one of several officials who was implicated by contractor Curlee Discaya in a September Senate hearing, where Discaya alleged that lawmakers solicited money from his firm concerning government flood control contracts. Atayde has repeatedly denied the claims, stating he “never dealt” with the contractor.
In October, the Department of Justice issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against Atayde and several others upon the request of the ICI, a measure that monitors an individual’s travel but does not bar them from leaving the country.
Caloocan City 3rd District Rep. Dean Asistio, who was also named by Discaya in connection with the flood control anomalies, was scheduled to appear before the ICI later on Tuesday.
