Castro: No talks yet on replacing ICI resignees; proposed law still pending

There has been no discussion yet on the replacement of those who resigned from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), as a related measure is still pending, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said Sunday.

“Sa ngayon, walang napag-uusapan kung magkakaroon ng replacement kasi may tinitignan tayong batas na maaaring ipasa patungkol sa pagkakaroon ng independent commission,” Castro told Super Radyo dzBB.

(For now, there have been no discussions about replacements, as we are considering a measure that may be passed establishing an independent commission.)

On Friday, Commissioner Rossana Fajardo announced her resignation from the ICI, effective December 31, 2025, saying that she had completed the work she set out to accomplish when she was appointed.

“I believe that the investigative and prosecutorial responsibilities will now transition to other agencies, such as the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman, which are better positioned to ensure accountability for contractors and government officials,” Fajardo said.

Earlier this month, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson also tendered his resignation from the ICI, citing health reasons and security.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had urged Congress to prioritize the passage of the proposed Independent People’s Commission (IPC) Act.

The proposed law aims to establish a permanent, independent, and non-partisan commission that would investigate alleged anomalies and corruption in infrastructure projects at the national, local government unit, and government-owned and -controlled corporation levels.

“Ang gusto ng Pangulo, maging maayos ang batas at maipasa. Ang ayaw ng Pangulo ay magkaroon ng sapawan ng jurisdiction ang Ombudsman, DOJ at 'yung gagawing independent commission,” Castro said.

(The President wants the law to be properly crafted and passed. He does not want overlapping jurisdiction between the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice, and the proposed independent commission.)

Castro earlier said the IPC may be redundant with the Office of the Ombudsman and the DOJ, since it will also investigate other infrastructure projects. —KG, GMA Integrated News