ICI fate up to President Marcos — Azurin

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) resumed its investigation into suspected flood control projects even as its fate remains in limbo following the resignation of two its three member-commissioners. 

ICI Special Adviser retired police general Rodolfo Azurin said it is up to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. if he will extend or terminate ICI’s mandate of investigating alleged anomalies in government infrastructure projects in the last ten years. 

Marcos created the ICI in September following public outcry over the multi-million corruption of flood control projects in the country. 

“We do not know yet so wala pa namang guidance ang (there is still no guidance from the) Office of the President for how long we’ll stay. We do not know but we continue to do our work,” Azurin said. 

Boxes of documents

Despite the uncertainty, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) submitted Friday eight boxes of documents relating to flood control projects mostly in Davao Oriental. 

The documents are in addition to nearly a hundred boxes of documents submitted to the ICI last year. 

Lone commissioner and chairman retired Justice Andres Reyes presided over the meeting of the project investigation task force whose members include the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“The objective of today’s meeting is to consolidate and synchronize relevant data, key issues and concerns, identify specific tasks and action points for follow-through,” Reyes said. 

Azurin said that they are in process of correcting the official number of suspected ghost flood control projects following testimonies in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that not all of the 421 alleged ghost flood control projects are missing due to wrong coordinates submitted by the DPWH. 

“At least harmonize the data that we’ll be using so that ‘yung mga ongoing investigation ay maitama na (all investigation should be corrected). We’re trying to divide the tasking between the NBi, CIDG, and of course the AFP and kasama d’yan ‘yung ICI,” Azurin said. 

Azurin added that the ICI is prioritizing the validation of 79 of the 421 flood control projects by the top 15 contractors named by the President. 

But on top of these, ICI has received reports of alleged anomalous flood control projects including those filed by ACT Teachers’ Partylist in Davao under Davao City First District Cong. Paolo Duterte, Sen. Antonio Trillanes’ documents against Cong. Duterte and reports by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) about an unfinished multi-million command center by Sunwest, Corp. once held by former House Committee on Appropriations chairman Zaldy Co. 

Azurin said that if the President terminates the ICI, they would turn over the documents to the Ombudsman. 

“It’s always the prerogative of the appointing authority. In the even that they decide na i-terminate ang ICI, of course we have to turn over all the documents, evidence that we gathered sa Ombudsman and definitely the DOJ, the CIDG, the PNP will take over the investigation,” he said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News