Marcos: ICI done with assigned tasks but…
As far as President Marcos is concerned, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has done its task although he is adopting a wait-and-see stance at the moment.
“For now, their brief has already been fulfilled,” he told reporters on Wednesday (Manila time) in New York City, shortly before his scheduled return to Manila at the end of his working visit. “Now, what will happen afterwards is let us see what else that they can do.”
Created in September last year by Mr. Marcos to investigate alleged anomalies in flood control and other infrastructure projects within the last 10 years, the ICI is now collating its findings and drafting a final report, the President said.
The commission is expected to forward its findings to either the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Office of the Ombudsman depending on the nature of the case, Mr. Marcos added.
On Feb. 6, the ICI presented to Malacañang its 125-day report, which gave a rundown of the breakthroughs in its investigation into the corruption scandal that led to the indictment of a dozen individuals, including former lawmakers and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the freezing and seizure of assets worth about P25 billion.
Accomplishment report
ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka told reporters that the accomplishment report that covered the period from Sept. 15, 2025 up to Jan. 18 this year was “for the review and consideration of the President.”
The ICI has so far also released nine referrals which recommended the filing of various criminal and administrative charges against 65 individuals, among them former and current lawmakers, officials of the DPWH and the Commission on Audit, and contractors.
According to the investigative superbody, its recommendations were the product of 32 hearings that summoned 36 witnesses whose statements were processed in more than 1,100 pages of documents.
On Feb. 19, ICI Chair Andres Reyes Jr. announced that he was also crafting a 140-day report detailing the commission’s accomplishments with “more recommendations.”
Palace press officer Claire Castro said the next day that the ICI would continue to operate while President Marcos reviews its 125-day accomplishment report. —WITH A REPORT BY INQUIRER RESEARCH
