By Tracy Cabrera
WITH just the mere desire of tainting the reputation of First Lady Marie Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos, civil society leader Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia called for fairness and sobriety amid allegations linking the wife of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to supposed irregularities in flood control projects, saying that “integrity should never be tainted by gossip nor condemned by speculation.”
According to Goitia, chairman emeritus of respected civic-oriented organizations Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, “it is unfortunate that in this age of instant outrage, people are too quick to judge and too slow to verify,” especially when one tends to tarnish the reputation of they deem easy to criticize.
“The First Lady is not a public contractor nor a government official and yet she is being unfairly dragged into issues that do not concern her and are actually without proof or factual evidence,” he pointed out.
In fact, the civic leader enthused that the call to investigate the First Lady, reportedly made by a private advocacy group, is obviously out of place and should not be allowed to turn into what may be branded as “a fishing expedition disguised as a crusade.”
“Accountability is the essence of good governance, but so is fairness. When an accusation is made without basis, it ceases to be a civic act and becomes political demolition,” he further described the latest tirade by detractors of the administration of President Marcos Jr.
“The First Lady’s decades-long record as a lawyer and educator reflects professionalism and restraint (and) not political interference. She has always carried herself with dignity and independence (and) those who know her work know that she operates within the law and above partisanship,” he cited.
Malacañan also weighed in into the issue, describing the request for an investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) as a “witch hunt” aimed more at stirring controversy than seeking justice.
The Palace likewise emphasized that any probe must be based on credible, verifiable evidence, not on rumors or conjecture: “We must not allow unverified accusations to dictate the headlines. Investigations should proceed only where there is a clear and sufficient basis.”
In this aspect, Dr. Goitia warned the public against what he described as “trial by speculation,” stressing that rumors amplified online have the power to destroy reputations long before the truth is known.
“When social media replaces evidence, the truth becomes the first casualty. So, it’s important that we never allow character assassination to replace due process,” he spelled out.
Moreover, the civic leader noted that Malacaña’s statement serves as a reminder that investigations must always respect due process.
“That is how a democracy works. We follow the law, not the noise,” he asserted even as he underscored that the First Lady is being targeted not because of evidence but because of proximity to power, a political tactic he said undermines trust in institutions.
“Dragging the President’s wife into every controversy is not oversight, it is overreach. The Office of the First Lady deserves the same presumption of good faith that every Filipino citizen is entitled to,” he magnified while reminding the public that flood-control projects are managed by specific government agencies and are subject to state auditing, not personal discretion.
“There are systems of accountability already in place. The solution is to strengthen those systems, not to malign those who have nothing to do with project implementation,” he opined.
Goitia appealed to the public to rise above rumor-driven politics and protect the dignity of those serving in public life: “We cannot claim to love our country while tolerating the destruction of its institutions through innuendo. Let us be discerning. Let us be just.”
He concluded with a call to the media and the public alike: “Scrutiny is part of democracy, but so is decency. We must learn to question without hatred, to investigate without prejudice, and to seek truth without destroying people along the way.”
