ICI effectively a dead body – Drilon

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January 12, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate president Franklin Drilon has declared the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) effectively a “dead body,” asserting that it has ceased to exist for all practical purposes following the resignation of its members.

Drilon said there is no longer a need to debate whether the ICI, as the anti-graft body created to investigate flood control corruption, should be abolished, as it has already collapsed due to a lack of manpower and support from the executive branch.

“It’s not only a lame duck, it has ceased to exist. It’s a dead body, it cannot function,” he said.

Drilon pointed out that the commission has been reduced to a single official, with former justice Andres Reyes the only member who has yet to resign, making it impossible for the body to operate as a collegial board or conduct meaningful inquiries.

He said that the commission’s paralysis is by design, arguing that Malacañang’s failure to appoint replacements for the resigned commissioners indicates a deliberate strategy to dismantle the body through attrition.

“So the intention is to really abolish the ICI because it doesn’t have a purpose anymore, because of the inaction of the President,” he said. 

Beyond the leadership vacuum, Drilon questioned the necessity of maintaining the ICI, arguing that its functions are merely duplicative of existing constitutional bodies that possess actual prosecutorial powers.

He emphasized that jurisdiction over corruption and anomalies in infrastructure projects properly belongs to the Office of the Ombudsman, the Commission on Audit and the Department of Justice.

Talks of the ICI’s disbandment surfaced following the resignation of its commissioners and other members last year.

Rossana Fajardo is the latest commissioner to resign from the ICI. Former public works secretary Rogelio Singson earlier resigned, citing his health, as well as Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong who resigned as special adviser in September.

Last week, Sen. Imee Marcos said the ICI will be dissolved by Feb. 1, but this was not confirmed by the body nor by Malacañang.