Marcos says ICI 'coming towards the end'

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Friday that the work of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is about to be finished, adding that it already investigated what needs to be probed in the anomalous flood control projects. 

In an ambush interview in Mandaluyong City, Marcos said the ICI’s fate depends on its remaining work.

“Kung matapos na ‘yung trabaho nila (If their work is done), then we will see what they can do next. But they really are coming toward the end — lahat ng kailangang imbestigahan, naimbestigahan na nila (all that needs to be investigated, have been investigated),” Marcos told reporters. 

“Maybe there are one or two other loose ends that they have to clear up,” he added.

Marcos, meanwhile, said he has not decided yet if new commissioners will be named following the resignations of Rogelio Singson and Rossana Fajardo. 

“We haven't really decided on that yet. Again, it all depends on the work that ICI still has in front of them,” Marcos said. 

“Pag kailangan pa, then we will. But if the work is done, kung naibigay na lahat ng information sa DOJ tsaka sa Ombudsman, then the focus now of the investigation will go to the DOJ and the Ombudsman,” he added. 

Executive Order 94

Marcos issued Executive Order 94 in September of last year, which created the ICI as a non-partisan fact-finding body that would investigate irregularities in flood control projects and infrastructure projects in the last ten years.

It is being chaired by former Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr.

To recall, 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.

The fate of the ICI has been in the headlines after ICI special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. mentioned that the body was not able to make any referrals regarding flood control anomalies due to lack of commissioners.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, who is a lawyer, expressed belief that the ICI still has the power and authority to recommend cases even if it lacks commissioners, saying that with enough pieces of evidence, its chairman can still recommend the filing of charges against certain individuals.

Since its creation, the ICI has already filed at least eight referrals with the Office of the Ombudsman, in relation to the flood control mess. These include referrals against former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co.

The referrals were made either to recommend the filing of charges or to further investigate the alleged involvement of some government officials in the corruption. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News