President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to continue carrying out its mandate as a fact-finding and investigative panel on questionable flood control projects, Malacañang on Tuesday said.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the chief executive has not issued any directive to halt the work of the ICI.
She said the President has yet to receive or act on a formal request from ICI officials seeking guidance on the commission’s future, including concerns raised about personnel hired by the body.
“As of now, there are no further directives from the President except to continue their mandate, to continue their investigations, and to remain a fact-finding committee,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.
She said Malacañang is aware that ICI officials, including Special Adviser Rodolfo Azurin, have indicated plans to write to the Office of the President and seek clarification as the future of the commission.
Asked whether the President plans to appoint replacements for the two commissioners — Rossana Fajardo and former public works chief Rogelio Singson — who have resigned, Castro said there has been no update on possible successors.
“We have not received any update if there will be replacements,” she said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the ICI and various government agencies held its 5th Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting on Asset Recovery at the ICI office in Taguig City, according to a media advisory.
The Asset Recovery TWG is led by lawyer Renato Paraiso, acting executive director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center.
The meeting, which was held under an executive session, discussed ongoing inter-agency coordination efforts, according to ICI.
The TWG seeks to improve collaboration among various agencies to enhance accountability and transparency concerning the multibillion-peso flood control project scandal being investigated by the ICI.
ICI Chairman Andres Reyes Jr. said the TWG will address methods to prosecute all individuals involved in the corruption scheme related to the flood control projects.
Among the attendees at the conference are officials from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Bureau of Customs, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Public Works and Highways, among others.
The agencies are expected to evaluate current progress and identify any potential obstacles that may hinder the restoration of public funds.
Former Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara previously returned P110 million to the government, an amount he allegedly acquired from flood control projects.
Restitution is a part of the Justice department’s efforts to recover funds and is also a prerequisite for Alcantara’s consideration as a state witness in ongoing investigations.
