ICI referrals on anomalous flood control projects on hold due to lack of members

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) cannot yet make any referrals amid its ongoing probe on anomalous flood control projects due to a lack of commissioners, special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Tuesday.

“Wala munang referral because kulang pa kami ng commissioner,” Azurin said when asked when the ICI would refer new information to the Ombudsman.

(There will be no referrals because we lack commissioners.)

ICI chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. remains the only commissioner of the commission, following the resignation of former commissioners Rogelio “Babes” Singson and Rossana Fajardo.

Singson resigned for health and security reasons in December 2025.

For her part, Fajardo said she has completed the work she set out to accomplish.

Azurin said the commission would continue to do its job.

“Gawin lang namin ‘yung trabaho namin so that pag dating ng bagong commissioners, kung may dadating, at least naka ready na for filing ‘yung mga referral,” he said.

(We will just do our job so that when the new commissioners arrive, if there are any, at least the referrals are already ready for filing.)

Malacañang has said that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. still wants the ICI to continue its job despite the resignations.

P21.2B in assets frozen

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has frozen an estimated P21.2 billion in assets in connection with the investigation on anomalous flood control projects, an official of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday.

“As to frozen assets, we [inaudible] P21.2 billion already, comprising bank accounts, e-wallets, insurance policies, motor vehicles, and air assets,” said BOC deputy chief of staff Chris Bendijo, a member of the ICI Asset Recovery Technical Working Group.

Azurin said the ICI was seeking the cooperation of the public to speed up the recovery of assets.

“Kung lahat ng mga nakakaalam ng mga asset na kailangang i-recover natin. Siguro malaking bagay ‘yun para sa ICI and the other agencies dahil nakita naman natin ‘yung committment ng bawat agency nakapag meron kang binigay na trabaho, eh, tra-trabahuhin naman,” he said.

(If everyone who knows about the assets that need to be recovered comes forward, that would probably be a big help to the ICI and the other agencies, because we have seen the commitment of each agency that once you give them a task, they really work on it.)

According to Azurin, it was a private individual who voluntarily approached the ICI with information regarding the luxury vehicles allegedly linked to former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

He declined to provide further details about the individual to maintain their privacy, but denied that the individual is part of the ICI, a police officer, or in the military.

“Ano lang, siguro may ano, meron siyang kaalaman, gusto niyang tumulong. Gusto niyo ba malaman kung nasaan ‘yung mga sasakyan ni Zaldy Co. ‘Yun. At chineck ng mga tao natin. ‘Yun nga may mga binigay na plate numbers,” Azurin said.

(Well, maybe he has some knowledge, he wants to help. Do you want to know where Zaldy Co.'s vehicles are? That’s it. And our people checked. That’s right, there were plate numbers provided.) –with Nimfa Ravelo/NB, GMA Integrated News