BGC, Taguig City — After more then half a year of grueling work, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will be ending its operations at the end of this month as its chairman, retired Supreme Court associate justice Andres Reyes Jr., believes its mandate has already been fulfilled.
In a statement, former Justice Reyes, the only remaining member of the Commission, disclosed he is recommending "that the ICI wind down its operations" even as noted the achievements it had made in the past six months or so.

Of the dozens of personalities linked to the multimillion-peso corruption scandal that hit the nation, only a handful has landed in detention, particularly contractors and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineers.

"The Commission will remain operational until March 31, 2026, to complete the necessary administrative processes related to its wind-down," Reyes pointed out.

Before the announcement, ICI turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) all pertinent documents, evidentiary data and investigative findings gathered in the course of its mandated duties provided under Executive Order 94 signed by President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. In September the previous year.
"The Commission will also provide and submit to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) the same documents and files it has turned over to the OMB for their records, review and guidance," Reyes added.

Even as the whole country still awaits the government's action on the result of ICI's probe, the former Supreme Court Associate Justice said he is convinced that "the Commission has fulfilled its mandate and that the work they have initiated is now properly situated to be carried forward by the concerned agencies established by law."

Turning to the ICI's achievements, Reyes mentioned that it has submitted nine referrals covering 65 individuals to the OMB as well as initiated efforts for asset recovery. Aside from these, the Commission has also initiated the development of three information systems designed to detect fraud and other irregularities in the government's infrastructure projects.

"While these represent only the initial phase of a much broader investigative and restitution effort, these accomplishments demonstrate that, with strong inter-agency 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 asserted.

Moreover, Reyes further disclosed that has made suggestions to improve the system of government transactions and project implementation to address loopholes in these processes that might have resulted again in the massive corruption.

"I call on the Technical Working Group for Asset Recovery to continue its restitution efforts based on the guidance provided by the Commission," he revealed.

Reyes expressed his gladness over Malacañan demand to prioritize the pending Senate and House bills that proposed the establishment of the Independent Peoples’ Commission (IPC) and the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (ICAIC) .

"I hope that Congress will promptly act on these bills. I likewise urge 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," he stressed.

In ending, Reyes is urging the Filipino people to always remain vigilant and steadfast in ensuring that those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice while strictly monitoring all projects of government to avoid a repeat of another flood control scandal.

"May we always remember that crime does not, and should never, pay. No one is, and should ever be, above the law," he concluded.