Marcos: Only ICI can decide fate as ‘independent’ body
As far as President Marcos is concerned, the fate of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is now in the hands of its chair, Andres Reyes, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“Whatever the destiny of the ICI may be, and whatever their next steps will be, the President is leaving that to the ICI as an independent commission,” Palace press officer Claire Castro said at a briefing.
When asked if the President would support a decision by Reyes to dissolve the superbody tasked to probe the multibillion-peso public infrastructure projects scandal, Castro said: “If the ICI says that it has already fulfilled its obligation, then the President will listen.”
According to Castro, the President continues to respect the ICI’s independence and will not interfere in any decision by Reyes, the only remaining member of the body following the resignation of its two commissioners in December.
“If their decision is that they want to have a new member, they only need to inform the President and request whatever assistance the administration can provide so they can continue with their mandate,” she said.
‘Guidance’ from OP
The ICI is waiting for “guidance” from the Office of the President (OP) if Mr. Marcos will still appoint new members to replace resigned Commissioners Rogelio Singson and Rossana Fajardo.
ICI special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the body’s work had been affected by the exit of Singson and Fajardo. Without a quorum, the ICI could neither refer cases to the Department of Justice or the Office of the Ombudsman, nor conduct hearings on anomalous infrastructure projects, he added.
For the past two months, Malacañang and the ICI have been engaged in finger-pointing as to who should decide the latter’s future.
‘Coming to an end’
On Jan. 30, Azurin said the ICI had yet to hear from the OP about its fate. On Jan. 20, Malacañang said the President would base his decision on the report and recommendations to be submitted by the body to his office.
As of Feb. 3, Castro has yet to be informed if the ICI has already sent its report to the President. Mr. Marcos earlier said the ICI was “coming toward the end,” noting that appointing new commissioners would depend on how much work the body has left.
In September, the President issued Executive Order No. 94 creating the three-member ICI to investigate all public infrastructure projects from 2015 to 2025. Based on a sunset provision in the order, the ICI shall remain in operation until it accomplishes its mandate or unless sooner dissolved by the President.
