Marilyn Cahatol

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

Article (news)

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176395847899120251015-ici-headquarters-MT5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Facade of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) headquarters in Taguig City Photo taken on October 15, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Monday released the copy of its referral to the Office of the Ombudsman dated November 21, 2025 recommending further investigation of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.</p><p>In a 2-page document, the ICI said, its referral concerns Romualdez who personally appeared before the Commission last October 14.</p><p>The ICI attached to its referral the affidavit of Romualdez submitted last October 13, 2025 and the transcript of stenographic notes, the video and audio recording of the ICI fact-finding probe, both of which were not released to the media.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/21/romualdez-he-trusts-ombudsman-s-impartial-review-of-corruption-allegations-1451">Romualdez says he trusts Ombudsman&#x27;s impartial review of corruption allegations</a></div><p>“This Referral is issued without any finding or conclusion of guilt or liability on the part of Former Speaker Romualdez. It is transmitted solely to ensure that all acts, omissions, and surrounding circumstances properly falling within the Ombudsman&#x27;s constitutional and statutory authority — particularly those involving high-ranking officials — are subjected to the processes under Article XI, Section 13 of the Constitution and Republic Act No. 6770,” ICI stated in its referral.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:624px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1992796892439416960&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-11-24T04%3A19%3A18.916388%3A79654b0b-2924-4647-aace-d70b98422ec8%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=86ed6ee50d515173d84addce03b0574f13c27d07&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1992796892439416960"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>According to the ICI, the Ombudsman is better equipped to determine whether the circumstances warrant administrative or criminal accountability under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, saying that it is the constitutionally designated government agency to impose disciplinary actions over erring public officials.</p><p>Romuadez&#x27;s lawyer Ade Fajardo noted that the ICI referral was &quot;issued without any finding or conclusion of guilt or liability.&quot;</p><p>&quot;This clear statement reinforces our confidence in the Commission’s impartiality and reinforces the constitutional role of the Ombudsman as the sole authority empowered to make determination on accountability,&quot; Fajardo said in a statement. </p><p>&quot;We trust that the Ombudsman will conduct an independent, thorough, and objective review of the evidence submitted. From the outset, we have consistently maintained that a fair and complete assessment of the record will reflect the truth,&quot; he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/21/ici-bares-guidelines-on-livestreaming-of-hearings-1332">ICI bares guidelines on livestreaming of hearings</a></div><div> <strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K1eLap4VG7Q?si=T746OGV84eS9ixe2" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) released the copy of its referral to the Office of the Ombudsman dated November 21, 2025 recommending further investigation of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.</p>

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) released the copy of its referral to the Office of the Ombudsman dated November 21, 2025 recommending further investigation of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

ICI releases copy of Nov. 21 referral asking Ombudsman to further investigate Romualdez

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ICI releases copy of Nov. 21 referral asking Ombudsman to further investigate Romualdez

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 24, 2025 12:43 PM PHT

Read More:

ICI Chairman Andres Reyes Jr.

Rep. Martin Romualdez

Ombudsman

Referral

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