ICI holds inter-agency meeting to recover ill-gotten wealth

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Thursday held an inter-agency meeting for the recovery of illegally obtained wealth from anomalous flood control projects.

According to ICI chairman Andres Reyes, the technical working group will discuss and finalize the framework for their coordination, information sharing, and legal procedures regarding the recovery of funds and assets.

“We know that every peso na ninakaw ay pisong nawala sa ating bansa at mahalaga po na mag sama-sama kami dito at magtulungan para maibalik ang pera na pagmamayari ng taumbayan,” Reyes said.

(We know that every peso stolen is a peso lost from our country, and it’s important that we all come together here and work together to recover the money that rightfully belongs to the people.)

The meeting was attended by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of the Ombudsman, among others.

Various contractors and former DPWH officials and engineers have admitted to receiving kickbacks from the flood control projects. They have linked several senators and lawmakers to the corruption.

ICI meets with other gov’t agencies to draw up strategy to recover ill-gotten wealth of personalities involved in anomalous flood control projects @gmanews @24orasgma pic.twitter.com/qP1qy5aIxb

— Joseph Morong ???????? (@Joseph_Morong) October 30, 2025

In an ambush interview, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the Office of the Solicitor General will file for civil forfeiture.

“Ito ay mas madali kaysa sa isang kriminal na kaso, mas mabilis. Kasi ang kailangan mo lang i-prove na ‘yung kinikita mo ay mas maliit kaysa doon sa mga pera or assets na mga hawak mo,” Dizon said.

(This is easier than a criminal case, faster. Because all you need to prove is that your income is smaller than the money or assets you hold.)

Meanwhile, Ombudsman spokesperson Mico Clavano said the recovery of ill-gotten wealth is covered by Republic Act 1379.

RA 1379 is an “Act Declaring Forfeiture in Favor Of The State Any Property Found To Have Been Unlawfully Acquired By Any Public Officer Or Employee And Providing For the Proceedings Therefor.”

“So when there’s a disproportion between the amount and the SALN and the wealth that you see, ‘yung lifestyle check, then you can forfeit what is over and excessive. So ‘yan po ‘yung gagamitin natin to enforce ‘yung as against the assets,” he said in a separate interview.

(So when there’s a disproportion between the amount and the SALN and the wealth that you see, the lifestyle check, then you can forfeit what is over and excessive. So that’s what we will use to enforce against the assets.)

Clavano said the forfeiture can proceed independently from criminal cases.

On Wednesday, the ICI asked the Ombudsman to file plunder, bribery, and corruption complaints against Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, former representatives Zaldy Co and Mitch Cajayon, and Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana, among others.

The ICI in September also recommended the possible filing of graft, malversation, and falsification charges against Co and other DPWH officials over their alleged links to the P289.5 million road dike project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The senators and lawmakers have denied the allegations against them. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News