Ombudsman: ICI May Have Only A Month Or Two Left

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) may wrap up its operations in a month or two and turn over the investigation on the flood control scam entirely to the Office of the Ombudsman, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla.

In an interview with GMA’s Unang Balita on Friday, Dec. 5, Remulla said the ICI is not really meant to be a permanent agency, and its functions of investigating the corruption in infrastructure projects may be taken over by the ombudsman.

“I think it (ICI) only has a month or two, and then they can turn over all their works to us. What they have accomplished will greatly help us in terms of speeding up the investigation and the gathering of evidence,” Remulla said in Filipino.

Asked if it means that the ICI will stop its operations and the ombudsman will take over the investigation on the anomalies in government infrastructure projects, especially the flood control projects, Remulla answered in the affirmative. 

“That’s the direction it is going. ICI is not intended to be forever. We have the law that created the Office of the Ombudsman. And we are now very active. In the coming year, we will be hiring young lawyers to carry on the job,” he said.

Remulla’s statement came just a couple of days after Rogelio Singson resigned as commissioner of the ICI, citing health reasons, while also lamenting that the Commission lacks budget and an enabling law to carry out its mandate.

“He told me a long time ago that he only intended to stay until December, because he also had a lot of other personal matters to attend to. It’s also really tiring,” Remulla said, referring to Singson’s resignation.

He said his office’s investigation on the alleged involvement of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former senator Bong Revilla Jr. in the flood control project anomalies is nearing its conclusion.

“We are wrapping up our preliminary investigation on them. Let’s see, if case information will be filed at the Sandiganbayan,” Remulla said.

Without naming names, he said it is almost certain that some high-ranking officials would spend Christmas in jail, as earlier pronounced by President Marcos. 

“There are really some people who would spend their Christmas in jail. That’s what we have been seeing based on the investigations that we are doing in the Office of the Ombudsman and the DOJ (Department of Justice),” Remulla said. 

“They (DOJ) are also handling several cases and they can also file these cases in court soon,” he said.

The ombudsman had earlier deputized the DOJ to investigate at least five flood control projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO), particularly in the municipalities of Balagtas and Pandi.

The DOJ panel of investigators had recently concluded the preliminary investigation on three out of the five cases it is handling. 

Respondents in the DOJ’s investigation are over 20 dismissed officials of the DPWH-Bulacan First DEO, including former district engineer Henry Alcantara, assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez and construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza, together with several private contractors.

‘Certify ICAIC bill as urgent’

 In a related development, House deputy minority leader and ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima urged the President to certify as urgent the proposed creation of the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (ICAIC). 

De Lima made the call as she lambasted Remulla’s remarks that the ICI may only have one to two months left before ending its investigation into the flood control anomalies. 

She said Remulla’s remarks is preempting a more transparent, more powerful ICAIC. 

“Are they trying to pre-empt a more independent, more transparent and more powerful ICAIC?” De Lima said in a statement. 

De Lima cited that as stated in its sunset clause, the ICI will be abolished “upon the accomplishment of the purposes for which it was created or unless sooner dissolved by the President.”

She said tat the urgent direction of the government must be to strengthen the ICI through the passage of the proposed ICAIC law.

Revilla, Zaldy Co 

Also on Friday, DOJ spokesman Raphael Niccolo Martinez confirmed to reporters that Revilla, as well as fugitive resigned congressman Zaldy Co, are now included as respondents in the ongoing investigation. 

“Sen. Bong Revilla and Zaldy Co were admitted as additional respondents in the cases involving SYMS Construction and Trading. These cases are currently pending preliminary investigation,” Martinez said. 

He said there are at least two cases involving SYMS, wherein Revilla and Co were added as respondents. 

“Revilla and Co are also respondents in complaints filed by the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) involving ghost projects of Wawao Builders and Topnotch Catalyst Builders,” Martinez added. 

He, however, clarified that the cases pertaining to the projects awarded to Wawao and Topnotch “are still currently undergoing initial evaluation, which comes prior to the conduct of preliminary investigation.” Revilla, through his lawyers, denied the allegation.

Face ICI, Palace tells Pulong

Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte should show up at the ICI if he has nothing to hide, a Palace official said.

Duterte has declined the ICI request for him to appear in its inquiry on alleged flood-control irregularities in his district, saying the body lacked jurisdiction over members of Congress.

“We have a saying: Buntot niya, hila niya. It means, you are responsible for the consequences of your own acts. Many legislators have respected the summons of the ICI, provided their responses, their knowledge,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a briefing.

She added, “At kung walang itinatago, hindi dapat magtago (And if there’s nothing to hide, there’s no need to hide).”

In a letter addressed to ICI chair Andres Reyes Jr. dated Dec. 3, Duterte asserted that the commission is part of the executive branch and cannot summon a member of the House.

He accused the commission of issuing a “vague and ambiguous” invitation that lacked factual and legal basis. 

Asked about Marcos’ reaction to Singson’s resignation, Castro said the Chief Executive respects the decision.

She said DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon tried to urge the former public works and highways secretary to stay.

“And because, once again, Secretary Babes has concerns (about his health), our President respects that and we are grateful for the excellent service of Sec. Babes Singson,” Castro said. 

Travel authority

Senate President Vicente Sotto III has clarified that senators are not required to get a travel authority from him for personal travel and that only official travels are subject to the prior approval of the Senate President.

Sotto was reacting to Remulla’s ANC interview saying a note was sent to the Senate President’s office asking him not to allow Estrada’s planned trips during the holidays. Sotto said he has not received any such note.

Ombudsman prosecutors have opposed Estrada’s motion, which he filed at the Sandiganbayan, for a holiday trip to Japan, Norway, Iceland and Austria, as the senator, already acquitted of plunder, continues to face graft charges over the pork barrel scam. 

Finally, ICI gets P41-M funds

The P41-million funding for the ICI has finally been deposited into its bank account, just three weeks before the year ends.

The ICI’s operational budget for 2025, along with its staffing pattern, was approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Nov. 5. But it took the agency exactly one month to issue a notice of cash allocation to the ICI, authorizing the commission to withdraw cash from government service banks.

ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said the fact-finding body is now coordinating with the Land Bank of the Philippines to manage the funds.

The ICI has been operating for nearly three months, with all members paying out of pocket to cover expenses.

Azurin not quitting

Rodolfo Azurin Jr. vowed to finish his job as special adviser of the ICI, shooting down rumors that he is the next ICI official heading for the exit.

His predecessor, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, hinted at an interview that another member of the fact-finding body would step down after enduring the same kind of stress that forced Singson to leave.

The STAR received a tip as early as Thursday, Dec. 4, that Azurin would turn in his resignation letter next week.

But on Friday, the former police chief denied he is on the verge of resigning.

“That’s not true,” Azurin said in an interview with “One Balita Pilipinas” on One PH, adding, “(As long as) the government needs my service, I will continue.” – With EJ Macababbad, Artemio Dumlao, Jose Rodel Clapano, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Helen Flores