Jamaine Punzalan

Independent Commission for Infrastructure head former Justice Andres Reyes Jr. held a press conference at the ICI Headquarters in Taguig City on November 19, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

GHOST FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS

Jervis Manahan

Job Manahan

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/177010292737320251119-ici-andres-reyes-MT2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Independent Commission for Infrastructure head former Justice Andres Reyes Jr. held a press conference at the ICI Headquarters in Taguig City on November 19, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — President Bongbong Marcos Jr. will leave the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to decide on its own future, Malacanang said Tuesday, weeks after the Chief Executive said the work of the body investigating flood control anomalies was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/16/marcos-says-ici-work-coming-towards-the-end-1006">“coming towards the end.”</a></p><p>&quot;Kung ano po ang magiging desisyon ng ICI, yun po ang maaaring maging tugon ng Pangulo. Kung kinakailangan nila ng tulong sa Executive, ibibigay po,&quot; Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said.  </p><p>&quot;Kung ano po ang magiging destiny ng ICI, kung ano ang susunod na galaw nila, yan ay pinauubaya ng Pangulo sa ICI bilang independent commission,&quot; she said in a press briefing. </p><p>Asked how the body would act with a lack of quorum, Castro said that as an independent body, ICI could get the officials it needed.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ko po alam kung paano nila gagawin pero as an independent body, I think pwede naman sila kumuha kung sinong tauhan ang kailangan nilang gawin o kunin,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>Only the chairperson, retired Justice Andres Reyes, remained in the ICI following the resignation of two of its members.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/27/former-ici-commissioner-several-lifetimes-needed-to-end-corruption-2223">Former ICI commissioner: Several lifetimes needed to end corruption</a></div><p>&quot;Kung ano ang nais ng ICI, according to the President, kung ano ang nais nila gawin, at kung gusto pa nila magpatuloy, sabihin lang nila sa Pangulo at susuportahan sila,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>Castro said the President would the ICI should it decide that its mandate was done.</p><p>&quot;Kung sasabihin nila na tapos na ang kanilang obligasyon, makikinig ang Pangulo,&quot; she added.</p><p>ICI chair Andres Reyes earlier said they were awaiting guidance from the Palace pending the appointment of its members.</p><p>&quot;Mag-propose po sila sa Pangulo. Kung ang desisyon nila ay magkaroon ng bagong miyembro, sabihin lang nila sa Pangulo,&quot; Castro said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/30/ici-convenes-with-partners-to-harmonize-data-on-flood-control-anomalies-2036">ICI convenes with partners to &#x27;harmonize&#x27; data on flood control anomalies</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>ASSET RECOVERY</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, an ICI technical working group (TWG) for asset recovery convened on Tuesday to iron out its asset recovery plans. </p><p>The group’s chairperson, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) acting executive director Atty. Renato “Aboy” Paraiso, said they discussed contingencies in case any member would disengage. </p><p>“Each individual agencies na magde-disengaged for example, halimbawa magka-cease to exist, the TWG’s work would still continue because we discuss amongst ourselves na what we do here would be also be valuable for other agencies like the Sandiganbayan, the Ombudsman who was also present during our meeting,” Paraiso told reporters. </p><p>“There’s no news na magdi-dissolved tayo but we are just preparing for any contingencies with regards to whether its the ICI, or the CICC, the BOC, the DOJ disengaging - basta magtutuloy-tuloy yung work ng TWG,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FROZEN ASSETS</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The Bureau of Customs (BOC), a member of the Independent Commission for TWG, said the initial valuation of frozen assets linked to the flood control scandal was at P4.8 billion, including cash, but more properties were pending assessment.</p><p>BOC Deputy Commissioner Chris Noel Bendijo said these assets and properties comprised the total value of real property, motor vehicles, air assets and cash.  </p><p>Bank accounts and insurance policies are excluded from this summary, he said.</p><p>ICI-TWG vice chairperson and Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco four individuals had so far restituted cash to the government. </p><p>“Ito po incidentally yung apat na na-admit na sa witness protection program (WPP). Ang total amount is P316, 381, 500. So far wala pang nagbibigay ng intention to also restitute,” Marco said. </p><p>The ICI-TWG is set to reconvene again next week.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>AUDIT </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it was expecting the preliminary results of the public-driven flood control audit to be released in March, adding that more cases would be filed against the officials involved in the anomalies. </p><p>In his presentation during the 42nd National Social Action General Assembly in Tagaytay, Dizon said the results could be released during the first half of the year. </p><p>“There will be a preliminary report, maybe by March. Yung mga proyekto nabusisi na, yun ang magiging basehan [sa] pagpa-file ng kaso sa Ombudsman,” Dizon told the delegates. </p><p>In a chance interview with ABS-CBN News, Dizon declined to outline specifics, saying the public should just wait for this. </p><p>“Alam niyo naman iniikot ang mga suspected na projects na may problema, if they are ghost or substandard. So iniikot yan ng PNP, ng NBI, ng AFP, COA, DPWH, DOJ, and pati Ombudsman so lahat yan pagsasama-samahin nila,” Dizon told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>“By March they will be releasing a preliminary report on that. So hintayin na lang natin,” he added. </p><p>But Dizon said they would not wait for March and would file new cases in the coming weeks. He declined to give more details. </p><p>“Hintayin niyo na lang kapag nag-file na kami,” he said. “Hindi  lang ako makapagsabi.” </p><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mCpvqD98pkk" title="Rossana Fajardo nag-resign bilang ICI commissioner | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oPwNLs0ID-4" title="ICI tapos na ang buhay sa 1-2 buwan? Possible, ani Remulla | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>President Bongbong Marcos Jr. will leave the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to decide on its own future, Malacanang said Tuesday, weeks after the Chief Executive said the work of the body investigating flood control anomalies was “coming towards the end.”</p>

President Bongbong Marcos Jr. will leave the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to decide on its own future, Malacanang said Tuesday, weeks after the Chief Executive said the work of the body investigating flood control anomalies was “coming towards the end.”

Marcos leaves ICI ‘destiny’ up to commission itself

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Marcos leaves ICI ‘destiny’ up to commission itself

Jervis Manahan,

Job Manahan,

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 03, 2026 03:25 PM PHT

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Updated February 03, 2026 06:27 PM PHT

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Claire Castro

Malacanang

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