Jamaine Punzalan

Facade of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) headquarters in Taguig City, October 15, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Ched Rick Gatchalian

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176111504391820251015-ici-headquarters-MT5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Facade of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) headquarters in Taguig City, October 15, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) said Wednesday it was lifting its closed-door policy for investigations involving billions-worth of flood control projects. </p><p>The panel will start livestreaming its probe next week &quot;once we are able to get the technical capabilities in place,&quot; its chairperson Andres Bernal Reyes Jr. said.</p><p>“We are only 39 days old, we only have three lawyers. But we will try our best to conduct a full-blast investigation of all this fraud. We don’t have the facilities or the rules of procedure, but we will try to shorten the process despite not having formal rules yet,” Reyes told a joint hearing of several Senate committees.</p><p>The commission initially kept its hearings confidential to avoid a trial by publicity, its spokesperson Brian Hosaka said. But several groups in recent weeks sought more transparency from the ICI investigation.</p><div><iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ccq3vyYHe8" title="ICI sisimulan nang i-livestream ang mga pagdinig | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><strong>TOO LATE?</strong></div><p>Congressmen from the Makabayan bloc said the ICI should have opened its proceedings to the public much earlier.</p><p>“It shows that their earlier explanation that they do not want a trial by publicity has no basis. The public outrage has now forced them to livestream the proceedings. We call on the people to remain vigilant and oppose any further cover up,&quot; it said.</p><p>Makabayan added that it was dismayed by the ICI’s claim that after more than a month of investigations, it has yet to identify any government official involved in anomalous flood control projects.</p><p>&quot;Naglolokohan na lang tayo dito eh. After weeks of Senate hearings where DPWH officials themselves admitted payoffs to lawmakers, after testimonies detailing ghost projects and overpriced contracts, ang ICI ay nagsasabing wala pa silang nakikitang government official na sangkot?&quot; ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said. </p><p>&quot;The Senate Blue Ribbon hearings have already established the system of allocations where legislators nominate projects and influence contractor selection. DPWH officials have testified about this system under oath. Pero ang ICI ay nagsasabing wala pa silang nakikitang government official na sangkot? Either they are incompetent, or they are deliberately looking the other way,&quot; Kabataan Rep. Renee Co added. </p><p>Meanwhile, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña welcomed the ICI’s decision to livestream proceedings but demanded that earlier hearings be made public as well.</p><p>“Dapat full transparency, hindi pwedeng selective,” Cendaña said. </p><p>“Dapat klaro din ang kahahantungan: may makulong, maisoli ang mga ninakaw, at maisabatas ang Open Bicam at Open Infra Bill!” he added. </p><div><strong>‘CONFIDENTIAL MEETINGS’ </strong></div><p>For Makati Business Club executive director Rafael “Apa” Ongpin, the ICI should still be able to have &quot;confidential meetings&quot;.</p><p>&quot;We believe that all the ICI sessions should be public, but the ICI itself should have the authority to declare confidential sessions with no streaming or broadcast. Because speaking as a former journalist, this can very easily turn into a circus. I mean it already has in some cases,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;The accused, they&#x27;re entitled to due process, we cannot turn this to public shaming exercise,&quot; Ongpin added.</p><div><strong>ADDITIONAL POWERS</strong></div><p><strong></strong>ICI member Rogelio &quot;Babes&quot; Singson pushed for powers similar to those enjoyed by other anti-corruption bodies.</p><p>&quot;Recognizing that the procedure, the legal process that we have to follow is so tedious bago po may makulong ang haba ng proseso as compared you may want to consider, as compared to the two gold standards of anti-corruption, which is the ICAC of Hong Kong and the CPIB of Singapore. They have much more powers than all three of these agencies that we have combined,&quot; he said.</p><p>Senate President Vicente Sotto III has filed a bill seeking to expand ICI&#x27;s powers to include filing cases before the proper courts or agency, recommending witness, and requesting freeze orders for questionable assets, among others. </p><p>Meanwhile, Ongpin said ICI should have &quot;power to declare contempt which includes arrest and hold orders&quot;.</p><p>&quot;The ICI or the group should have fiscal autonomy and security of tenure in order to be really independent... In fact, future appointments need to be approved by a wider group than just the president at this point. It&#x27;s just the Palace who&#x27;s appointing people to this thing,&quot; he added. </p><p>— With a report from RG Cruz, AB-CBN News</p><div> </div>

<p>The Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) said Wednesday it was lifting its closed-door policy for investigations involving billions-worth of flood control projects. </p>

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) said Wednesday it was lifting its closed-door policy for investigations involving billions-worth of flood control projects.

ICI to livestream flood control probe after transparency calls

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

ICI to livestream flood control probe after transparency calls

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 22, 2025 02:39 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 22, 2025 04:56 PM PHT

Read More:

corruption

flood control

baha

ICI

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.