Babes Singson, a member of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), has resigned due to the commission's lack of power and budget. He stated that the P1.7 trillion spent on flood control over the past decade could have been completed in three to four years for just P800 billion to P900 billion. He criticized the rushed creation of the ICI under Executive Order 94 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which is ill-equipped to address infrastructure corruption.
Last week, Babes Singson resigned from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), established by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. via Executive Order 94 to probe irregularities in infrastructure projects. According to Singson, the commission 'lacks power' and cannot jail or compel persons of interest to appear, relying solely on recommendations. He likened it to a guerrilla fighting without weapons, needing to coordinate with at least 20 government agencies.
Baguio Mayor Benjie Magalong had resigned earlier as special adviser. Ombudsman Samuel Martires indicated that the ICI's days are numbered, with investigations likely to be transferred to his office. For instance, Davao Representative Paolo Duterte stated the ICI has no power over him, while Sandro Marcos attended a closed-door executive session to avoid livestreaming. Chairman and former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes opposes public hearings due to concerns about the wives of those involved.
Singson highlighted the P1.7 trillion spent on flood control, which could have been implemented faster and cheaper. He compared the ICI to effective anti-corruption bodies in Singapore and Hong Kong. He emphasized the 5 Rs for public works projects: right project, right cost, right quality, right people, and right on time—but the ICI fails on most. Now, the next steps in public infrastructure investigations lie with the Ombudsman.