THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will wind down operations on March 31, its chairman Andres Reyes said Friday, after transmitting all documents and findings on the flood control anomalies to the Office of the Ombudsman.
In a statement, Reyes said the ICI has turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman all documents, evidence and findings gathered in the course of its investigation, as previously reported in the commission’s 125-Day Report submitted to the Office of the President on Feb. 6.
Reyes said that while the ICI only functioned as a collegial body for 90 days, it was able to submit nine referrals covering 65 individuals to the Ombudsman, as well as convened the technical working group including 20 agencies for asset recovery.
He said the panel developed three information systems designed to detect fraud and other irregularities in infrastructure projects.
“With these frameworks and systems now in place, I believe that the Commission has fulfilled its mandate under Executive Order 94, and that the work initiated by the ICI is now properly situated to be carried forward by the agencies established by law,” Reyes said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created the ICI in September as a nonpartisan, fact-finding body to investigate alleged irregularities in flood control and other infrastructure projects over the past 10 years.
Reyes is the ICI’s last remaining member. Commissioner Rogelio Singson resigned in December, citing health and security concerns, while Commissioner Rossana Fajardo stepped down after completing the work she set out to accomplish.
Reyes said that the ICI has established the investigative framework and methodology that can be adopted and replicated by statutory prosecutorial agencies in “examining the full universe of anomalous infrastructure projects.”
“While these represent only the initial phase of a much broader investigative and restitution effort, these accomplishments demonstrate that, with strong interagency coordination, proper investigations can be conducted which could ultimately lead to the successful prosecution of those responsible and the recovery of stolen public funds,” he said.
“I call on the Technical Working Group for Asset Recovery to continue its restitution efforts based on the guidance provided by the Commission,” he said.
Reyes said he was glad that Malacañang demanded to prioritize the pending Senate and House bills that proposed the establishment of the Independent Peoples’ Commission and the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption.
“I hope that Congress will promptly act on these bills,” he said.
He also urged “government institutions involved in the implementation and oversight of infrastructure projects to act on the Commission’s recommendations for their respective offices to improve transparency, strengthen controls, enhance coordination, reinforce accountability and prevent the recurrence of infrastructure-related irregularities.”
Reyes asked the public to remain vigilant and steadfast in ensuring that those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice.
“May we always remember that crime does not, and should never, pay. No one is, and should ever be, above the law,” he said.
