Palace defers ICI flood control findings to ombudsman

Malacañang is leaving the disclosure of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) flood control findings to the ombudsman. The ICI turned over its documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday. The DOJ will review them for potential leads in a case.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Malacañang will leave it to the ombudsman to disclose details of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) findings on the flood control scandal. “We’ll leave it up to the ombudsman to reveal the details,” Castro said yesterday. The ICI has turned over its findings to the Department of Justice (DOJ), with spokesman Polo Martinez noting the files could be similar to those given to the ombudsman a week ago. “We’ll study the documents, see if they point to any leads we could use in filing the case eventually down the line,” Martinez said yesterday. Castro stated the ICI may use its P41-million budget until Dec. 31 for winding-down expenses, with unused funds returned to the national treasury. ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr., a retired Supreme Court associate justice who is solely carrying out the commission's mandate, met with Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida yesterday for the document handover. The commission will end operations on March 31. The DOJ may refer the findings to the National Bureau of Investigation or the ombudsman.

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Illustration of President Marcos Jr. handing over evidence documents related to flood control project anomalies, implicating Romualdez and Co. in potential charges.
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Marcos orders evidence handover as ICI pushes plunder charges against Romualdez

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to hand over all evidence from their probe into anomalous flood control projects to the Ombudsman. This accompanies the agencies' recommendation to file plunder, graft, and bribery charges against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former congressman Zaldy Co. The Ombudsman's decision will be based on evidence from contracts and testimonies.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) ceased operations after submitting its confidential final report. Malacañang maintained that President Marcos has not forgotten the fight against corruption in flood control projects. The Department of Justice reported recovering over P611 million from anomalous projects.

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Following recent resignations, including Commissioner Rossana Fajardo's effective December 31, the Office of the Ombudsman is ready to take over the Independent Commission for Infrastructure's (ICI) tasks, particularly the flood control scandal probe. This aligns with earlier signals of the ICI winding down.

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed two sets of cases related to the multibillion-peso flood control scam, but none involve high-ranking officials. This forms part of a thorough investigation under new Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla. The cases stem from projects in Oriental Mindoro and Davao Occidental worth over P386 million.

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In the latest on the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) crisis, former adviser Benjamin Magalong doubts replacements can be found for resigned commissioners, while Malacañang holds off amid congressional push for a permanent body.

The National Bureau of Investigation has requested an Interpol Red Notice against former lawmaker Zaldy Co in connection with corruption cases involving a flood control project. The NBI confirmed the request was made as early as November 23, 2025, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that Co's passport has been cancelled. This forms part of a broader probe into anomalous projects by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

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In her first public comments after resigning from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Rossana Fajardo said undoing entrenched corruption in government would require 'several lifetimes' by removing everyone involved. She shared these observations from her brief tenure investigating flood control scandals at the Philippine Business for Social Progress annual meeting.

 

 

 

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