LAS Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos assailed Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III for defending the Villar family amid the ongoing probe into the alleged multibillion-peso flood control anomalies, urging the Senate leader to exercise restraint and let the investigation take its proper course.
Santos cautioned Sotto against issuing statements that could be perceived as exonerating Senator Mark Villar and former senator Cynthia Villar, who were recently implicated by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla in the irregularities surrounding government-funded flood control projects.
“Senator Sotto should be more careful with his pronouncements. His remarks could be seen as prejudging the outcome of the investigation or worse, siding with the Villars to protect political alliances. Better to keep your opinion to yourself and let the evidence speak for itself,” Santos said.
The lawmaker stressed that public officials—especially those in top leadership positions—should refrain from making statements that may influence or preempt ongoing investigations.
“Let the investigation run its course. Any premature defense of the accused undermines the integrity of the process. If we want fairness, we should allow the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Ombudsman to do their jobs without interference,” Santos added.
Santos’s statement came after Sotto publicly expressed doubts over the Villar family’s alleged involvement in the flood control scandal, saying he believed they were being unfairly targeted. In a radio interview, Sotto said, “Hindi ako naniniwala si Cynthia Villar mai-involve doon… Kawawa naman at napapag-initan.”
Santos questioned the timing and motive behind Sotto’s defense, noting that both Mark and Camille Villar are part of the Senate majority bloc led by Sotto.
“It’s not the role of the Senate President to clear anyone through the media. His job is to ensure that truth and accountability prevail. If he truly believes in fairness, he should support the investigation instead of casting doubt on it,” Santos said.
In June 2021, tensions flared between Sotto and Senator Cynthia after the latter criticized what she described as the “special attention” being given to senators who were physically attending sessions in the chamber.
It may be recalled that in April 2022, then Senator Cynthia Villar accused then Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III of bypassing her authority as chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food after he formed a Committee of the Whole to probe the smuggling of agricultural products—an issue under her panel’s jurisdiction.
The disagreement came to a head during a Senate hearing when Villar objected to the panel’s decision not to invite ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Eric Go Yap, who was then serving as caretaker of Benguet’s congressional district, leading to a heated exchange between the two lawmakers.
The Villars were linked to the controversy after Ombudsman Remulla disclosed that I&E Construction, owned by Carlo Aguilar, a cousin of Senator Mark Villar, was awarded ₱18.5 billion worth of flood control and infrastructure projects during Villar’s tenure as DPWH Secretary—a possible case of “prohibited interest.”
“This is not about politics—it’s about accountability. If there’s nothing to hide, then there’s nothing to fear. But no one, not even the most powerful political families, should be above scrutiny,” the assistant majority floor leader added.
