Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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)

Vivienne Gulla

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/176671536997520251015-ici-headquarters-MT10_cropped_processed_by_imagy.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. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA <strong>(2nd UPDATE) </strong>— Some lawmakers from the House of Representatives&#x27; minority bloc believe the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI)— tasked to investigate alleged anomalies in flood control projects — is now “a lost cause” and at its “end” following the resignation of another commissioner, Rossana Fajardo.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/26/ici-commissioner-rossana-fajardo-resigns-0831">ICI Commissioner Fajardo resigns</a></div><p>ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the bills seeking to strengthen the ICI through the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption should have already been enacted by now.</p><p>Some House minority lawmakers previously blamed the failure to enact such bills for the resignation of former ICI commissioner Rogelio Singson.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/3/ici-announces-resignation-of-rogelio-singson-1507">Rogelio Singson resigns as ICI member, cites stress, age</a></div><p>Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, a special adviser to the ICI, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/29/marcos-respects-magalong-s-decision-to-resign-from-ici-malaca-ang-1529">resigned in September</a>, partly because of questions on whether he could be on the panel while also being an elected official.</p><p>&quot;This can very well be the end of ICI. Dapat kasi meron nang ICAIC (The ICAIC should have been established) by now,&quot; De Lima said in a statement.</p><p>House members from the Makabayan bloc, meanwhile, said the developments have “exposed the empty anti-corruption rhetoric of the Marcos regime.&quot;</p><p>“The  ICI is a lost cause. Its members have resigned, it has no real transparency, and its credibility always in question,” ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Rep. Elago, and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co said in a joint statement.</p><p>They said the panel had only been created to &quot;make it appear Marcos was serious about investigating corruption.&quot;</p><p>“Hindi tayo magtataka kung i-wrap up na ito, dahil nga wala nang natira sa kanila. So, kailangan tanungin mo, bakit nagreresign ang mga commissioners? Siguro nakikita rin nila na limited ang kakayahan nito, at saka mahuhusgahan sila sa output eh. Ano ba ang output so far? Malinaw na hands-off sila pagdating sa mga executive officials,” Tinio said in an interview.</p><p>Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice also said the commission is &quot;effectively dead&quot; with Fajardo&#x27;s departure.</p><p>“There is definitely something wrong when three of the most credible members of the commission—Magalong, Singson, and now Fajardo—have all resigned,” Erice said.</p><p>“What happens now to what may be the greatest heist in government infrastructure and the national budget?”</p><p>He added that no high-ranking officials have been arrested despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s earlier promise that those implicated in the mess would be jailed by Christmas.</p><p>House Infrastructure Committee co-chairperson and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon thanked Fajardo for her service to the ICI, as he urged the President to immediately appoint replacements for Fajardo and Singson to ensure the the Commission’s work continues uninterrupted.</p><p>“Her work helped lead to the filing of cases against several personalities involved in the flood control corruption scandal. Nevertheless, we call on the President to appoint replacements for Ms. Fajardo and former Commissioner Rogelio Singson at the soonest possible time, to ensure that the work of the ICI continues uninterrupted in the new year,” Ridon said.</p><p>Fajardo confirmed Friday that she had tendered her courtesy resignation from the body probing flood control anomalies, effective December 31, 2025.</p><p>“I have completed the work I set out to accomplish when I was appointed, ensuring that the foundational goals of the Commission have been met,” she said in a statement.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/9/marcos-directs-congress-to-prioritize-anti-dynasty-party-list-reform-bills-1227">Marcos urges Congress to prioritize Independent People’s Commission, anti-dynasty bills</a></div><p>Fajardo also noted that with the recent prioritization of bills for the creation of the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (ICAIC) and the Independent People’s Commission, a permanent body with enhanced powers &quot;will be more effective in supporting the Ombudsman’s office in prosecuting parties involved in irregular government infrastructure projects.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XPNi0p-hcYo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gg3a43s4hFY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Some lawmakers from the House of Representatives' minority bloc believe the Independent Commission for Infrastructure is now “a lost cause” and at its “end” following the resignation of another commissioner.</p>

Some lawmakers from the House of Representatives' minority bloc believe the Independent Commission for Infrastructure is now “a lost cause” and at its “end” following the resignation of another commissioner.

Lawmakers say ICI now 'a lost cause' after another commissioner's resignation

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Lawmakers say ICI now 'a lost cause' after another commissioner's resignation

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 26, 2025 10:18 AM PHT

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Updated December 26, 2025 03:51 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Independent Commission for Infrastructure

ICI

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