ICI vacancies not a hindrance in filing raps – Palace

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January 15, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  Malacañang does not see the vacancies in the one-person Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) as a hindrance for recommending charges against those behind the multibillion-peso flood control scam.

The ICI, formed by President Marcos in September to investigate government infrastructure projects implemented in the last 10 years, was left with just one member after the resignation of two commissioners last month.

Former public works secretary Rogelio Singson resigned for health reasons, while Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. country managing partner Rossana Fajardo quit because she felt she was done with the task she was supposed to perform.

ICI chairman and retired Supreme Court associate justice Andres Reyes Jr. is the only remaining member of the body, although former police chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. and lawyer Brian Keith Hosaka still work as its special adviser and executive director, respectively.

On Tuesday, Azurin admitted that the ICI cannot make case referrals because it lacks commissioners.

Asked to react to Azurin’s statement, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro claimed that the vacancies do not hinder the ICI from recommending charges to the ombudsman or justice department.

“Anyone can come up with a recommendation to the ombudsman. If their function is recommendatory, to recommend the filing of cases to the ombudsman, even if justice Reyes is the only member, if there is enough evidence, it (vacancies) will not prevent them from recommending the filing of cases,” she said yesterday.

Castro could not say whether Marcos would appoint replacements for Singson and Fajardo.

Castro said she could not speculate on what is keeping the President from appointing new ICI commissioners.

“It would be better if they have a meeting with the President, but this is an independent body or rather, commission... If they have a letter, it would be better if they can send it immediately,” she said.

She said Marcos continues to trust the ICI as the government works to hold those involved in anomalies to account, and that the administration is still seeking the passage of a bill creating a body that would investigate corruption in state projects.

More frozen assets

Meanwhile, flood works investigators are seeking to freeze the assets of over 200 personalities involved in the corruption scandal.

Aboy Paraiso, head of the technical working group on asset recovery and acting executive director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, said authorities are pursuing all assets, whether acquired legally or illegally.

“We are not just pursuing what was stolen. We are also preserving all assets because when a judgment is already rendered, one cannot simply say, ‘Return what you’ve stolen,’ but there are also fines and penalties attached,” Paraiso told “Morning Matters” on One News yesterday.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council has already secured freeze orders for P21.7 billion worth of assets. –  EJ Macababbad