Malacañang said Wednesday, September 24, that the Marcos administration’s probe into anomalous flood control projects is yielding results, with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) now collecting evidence and pursuing leads.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a briefing that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. launched the inquiry to expose anomalies in flood control projects, stressing that the investigation is slowly bearing fruit.
She added that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have already taken actions to file criminal charges against individuals involved in questionable and nonexistent flood mitigation projects.
Castro said that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) secured freeze orders on the assets of individuals and entities under investigation for alleged links to the flood control mess.
She emphasized that Marcos wants investigators to build sufficient evidence against those behind the anomalous projects.
The press officer assured the public that the ICI continues to operate as an “independent body.” She said the commission demonstrates independence by remaining impartial, avoiding bias, and rejecting bribes or even rumors of bribery.
She also noted that the ICI is pursuing “all possible angles” to complete its evidence, including reviewing government records.
On Wednesday, dismissed DPWH Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, along with former assistant engineers Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, attended a hearing at the ICI office in Taguig City on the anomalous flood control projects.
Meanwhile, the ICI has not yet released a statement on the results of its latest inquiry.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a personal blog on Medium.