ICI chairman Reyes pushes for restitution: Justice is not enough

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) chairman Andres Reyes on Thursday pushed for the return of illegally acquired wealth, if any, to the nation amid its investigation on anomalous flood control projects.

“All those persons responsible for this may be prosecuted and jailed, but to completely heal our nation, justice is not enough. We need restitution,” Reyes said during a meeting of government agencies.

“We, the different agencies of the government, are all here today to band together and pool our resources to go after and recover the assets of these criminals. That is our goal,” he added.

The ICI held a meeting on asset recovery, which was attended by various agencies, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Securities and Assets Commission, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Public Works and Highways among others.

ICI Chairman Justice Reyes Jr: we are enraged, we are betrayed, the Filipino peolle are watching @gmanews @24orasgma pic.twitter.com/NHwlSx2cPT

— Joseph Morong ???????? (@Joseph_Morong) October 16, 2025

Reyes stressed that the assets belonged to the Filipino people.

He said this was money that could have been used on building schools, hospitals and road projects, but were instead “burned wantonly on useless luxuries and vices.”

The meeting came after news that contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya will no longer cooperate with the ICI. ICI spokesperson Brian Hosaka said the couple withdrew their cooperation after they saw an interview that no one was qualified to become state witnesses yet.

The BIR has filed multiple tax complaints with the Department of Justice DOJ against the contractor-couple as well as a corporate officer for over P7.1 billion in tax liabilities from 2018 to 2021.

Meanwhile, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said that the Discayas are making the wrong move. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA Integrated News