ICI eyes filing 15 to 20 cases vs people involved in flood control mess

The  Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is targeting to file 15 to 20 cases against several individuals involved in the alleged anomalous flood control projects, newly-minted special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Monday. 

In a press conference, Azurin said the ICI will be conducting a technical evaluation against 421 suspected ghost flood control projects, initially identified by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). 

This is part of their investigation plan, wherein the DPWH will turn over the results of their initial evaluation to the ICI before the commission holds a technical review of the projects. After the process, the ICI will conduct a case buildup and refer the cases to the Ombudsman for the filing of appropriate charges. 

“‘Yun ang target natin — sa 3rd to 4th week, starting from now, we will be able to file at least 15 cases. Kasi binigay na sa amin ang documents sa initial na 421,” Azurin Jr. told reporters. 

(Our target is to file at least 15 cases against the involved individuals in the 421 projects at least three to four weeks from now.)

“’Yun ang ite-technical evaluation ng engineers natin. We are hoping na mag-cooperate ang lahat para ma-hit natin ang target na three to four weeks from now,” he said.

(Our engineers will conduct a technical evaluation on the 421 projects. We are hoping that everyone will cooperate so we can hit our target timeline.)

The ICI will look into 238,000 infrastructure projects in the country from 2016 to 2025 to determine whether they were completed or not. So far, the commission said the DPWH initially evaluated 8,000 flood control projects and found that 421 of them were suspected to be ghost projects. 

Of the figures, 261 were in Luzon, 109 were in Visayas, and 51 were in Mindanao.

“As of now, wala pa kaming nakikita but definitely, ang umpisa ng investigation diyan is dun sa baba. Sa district. We just follow ‘yung paper trail,” Azurin added.

(As of now, we have yet to identify the personalities involved but definitely, our investigation will start from the bottom. We will just follow the paper trail.)

Azurin formally took oath as the new adviser of ICI earlier, replacing Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who stepped down from his post after Malacañang announced that Marcos would have the legal team study if his designation was proper. 

In his speech, the former Philippine National Police chief called on the public to ask for accountability “not through protests or rallies but through truth, unity, and justice”. 

“Across the country, voices from all sectors are rising — citizens, workers, professionals, and youth alike —  urging our military and police to join this crusade against corruption. Their call is valid and their cause is just, yet we must remember: real change cannot be achieved through division, chaos, or violence,” he said.

“We have seen in our history that revolution in the streets may topple governments, but they do not always heal a nation,” he added.

Azurin said: “Today we are called not to fight one another but to stand together not through protests or rallies but through truth, unity, and justice. Let us expose corruption not with anger but justice. Let us work hand in hand to bring the guilty to account and to finally end the suffering of our people.  Let this be our rally cry: this time, we do it right. For our country, for our children, for a truly better Philippines”. 

In 2023, Azurin was linked to the alleged cover-up of the P6.7 billion shabu haul in Manila in 2022.

Azurin said there was no plan to cover up the illegal drug case involving dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. —AOL, GMA Integrated News