What ICI has performed to date and what comes subsequent

The Impartial Fee for Infrastructure (ICI), the physique with the gargantuan process to analyze one of many largest corruption scandals in current Phiippine historical past, is nearing the tip of its work.

Its existence, nonetheless, depends upon whom you ask. Ombudsman Boying Remulla mentioned in December 2025 that it has solely “a month or two” left. Senator Imee Marcos, the estranged sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., mentioned that ICI could be scrapped by February 1.

For ICI Chairperson Andres Reyes Jr., the fee is about to run for two years. However a couple of days earlier than 2025 ended, Reyes mentioned the ICI was wrapping up its remaining referrals to the Workplace of the Ombudsman.

He made the assertion after changing into the only member of the three-person fee, following the resignations of commissioners Babes Singson and Rossana Fajardo.

So what has the fee achieved, to date, or 4 months because it was created in September 2025? Is their work really performed?

Accomplishments

The ICI has filed 11 referrals with the Workplace of the Ombudsman, together with joint referrals with the Division of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). These referrals contain 100 personalities and contractors.

To this point, the Ombudsman has filed two circumstances in court docket stemming from ICI and DPWH complaints. These circumstances have led to the arrest of some personalities, together with contractor Sarah Discaya.

Working with the Anti-Cash Laundering Council and different companies, the ICI has helped freeze greater than P20.3 billion in property. The property embody hundreds of financial institution accounts and tons of of insurance coverage insurance policies, autos, and properties, in addition to e-wallet and securities accounts, and several other plane. (READ: What’s in Zaldy Co’s hangar? P4.7-billion price of plane linked to his companies)

The freezes, nonetheless, merely limit entry to the property. They don’t robotically return the cash or properties to public coffers.

Individually, the ICI secured high-value properties linked to the investigation, together with a GMC car and a Lamborghini surrendered by dismissed DPWH Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez.

Misses and gaps

The ICI initially flagged 421 alleged ghost flood management tasks. However a assessment of its complaints to the Ombudsman — together with joint referrals with the DPWH — exhibits that solely 5 flood management tasks have been really coated to date:

All of the tasks cited to date contain flood management. Different varieties of infrastructure — comparable to roads, bridges, and public buildings — have but to be coated.

Below its mandate, the ICI is tasked with investigating corruption in public infrastructure, not simply flood management tasks, over the previous decade.

Earlier, ICI particular adviser and former Philippine Nationwide Police chief Rodolfo Azurin mentioned the fee would prioritize 80 tasks involving the prime 15 flood management contractors named by the President.

However ICI’s complaints present that whereas 16 contractors have been cited, solely three belonged to the President’s record of prime 15 flood management contractors: Discayas’ St. Timothy Building Company, Zaldy Co’s Sunwest Included, and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Included.

DPWH additionally initiated impartial authorized complaints in relation to the flood management corruption involving contractors and different flood management tasks.

The ICI additionally recognized no less than eight lawmakers linked to sure development corporations, but it surely didn’t clearly state whether or not these companies have been concerned in anomalous infrastructure tasks.

Rappler’s investigation, in the meantime, has proven that almost 100 politicians and authorities officers — from the nationwide and native ranges — are linked to authorities contractors, both as homeowners or by way of kinfolk.

Personalities beneath probe

Primarily based on Rappler’s assessment, no less than 100 people have been named within the ICI’s complaints. These embody DPWH engineers and officers, a COA commissioner, senators and their aides, and congressmen — a few of whom seem in a number of complaints.

ICI really helpful prison and/or administrative fees in opposition to nearly all of those personalities.

One of the vital distinguished names was the President’s cousin, former Home speaker Martin Romualdez. Not like others, nonetheless, ICI merely referred Romualdez to the Ombudsman for additional investigation, with the referral explicitly stating that it was issued “with none discovering or conclusion of guilt or legal responsibility.”

The similar therapy was given to Senator Chiz Escudero, former public works secretary and now Senator Mark Villar, former senator Grace Poe, and former senator and now Makati Metropolis Mayor Nancy Binay.

All 4 have been named by former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo as a part of the alleged corruption scheme, however have been referred just for “additional investigative assessment.”

Lack of transparency

The ICI has additionally confronted criticism over transparency. After the congressional investigation into flood management tasks stalled, public consideration shifted to the fee, prompting requires it to livestream its hearings.

Initially, the ICI resisted, citing issues over “trial by publicity,” but it surely later relented. Nonetheless, as soon as pointers have been set, most of these invited to seem earlier than the fee averted public scrutiny by invoking govt classes.

Amongst those that confronted the fee and invoked an govt session was the President’s son, Home Majority Chief Sandro Marcos.

What comes subsequent?

Former ICI commissioner Singson has overtly acknowledged that the fee lacked the powers and assets wanted to meet its mandate, and likened the ICI to an armless soldier despatched to battle.

“Walang price range. Kumbaga lumaban ka sa giyera. Resolve-in mo ’yung problema, hindi ka naman binigyan ng armas. Ano nangyari sa ’yo? Eh di nakatiwangwang ka. You can’t defend your self,” he mentioned.

(There’s no price range. It’s such as you’re despatched to battle in a struggle. Resolve the issue, however you weren’t given any arms. What occurs to you? You’ll be able to’t do something. You can’t defend your self.)

The Division of Price range and Administration solely permitted a P41.4-million price range for the ICI in early November 2025, almost two months after its creation. Reyes has additionally mentioned that some members of the fee’s authorized staff have been working as volunteers.

Primarily based on Marcos’ govt order, the ICI ceases to exist as soon as it completes its mandate, until the President dissolves it sooner. Given the magnitude of the corruption and what has been performed, ICI’s work appears to be removed from over.

But the ICI is now working with just one commissioner. The appointment of recent commissioners rests with Marcos, as does the choice on whether or not the physique survives or is dissolved.

Requested concerning the destiny of the ICI at a Palace briefing on Tuesday, January 13, Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro mentioned, “Presently, the President has not issued any new directives, aside from for them to proceed finishing up their mandate, to maintain pursuing their investigation, and to stay a fact-finding committee.”

A invoice pending in Congress seeks to create a brand new physique that might institutionalize — and increase — the work of the ICI. Marcos requested lawmakers to move it instantly.

The query now’s whether or not the proposed Impartial Individuals’s Fee — if created — will lastly have sufficient enamel to uncover the depth and breadth of infrastructure corruption that has plagued the nation for many years. – Vicensa Nonato/Rappler.com

Vicensa Nonato is a Rappler intern. She is a journalism scholar on the College of the Philippines Diliman.