Abrupt ICI closure signals waning urgency in gov’t’s anti-graft drive

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter and Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel

THE administration may be losing urgency in its anti-graft drive, analysts said, as the independent body tasked to probe anomalies in flood control infrastructure projects concludes its investigation on March 31.

The “abrupt closure” of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) may be perceived as “unfinished business,” Gary G. Ador Dionisio, dean of the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Diplomacy and Governance, said in a Messenger chat, as no sitting lawmakers and top Public Works officials mentioned during hearings were sent behind bars.

The ICI was created through Executive Order No. 94 in September 2025, as a response to allegations of a multibillion-peso public works scandal involving flood mitigation projects.

Originally comprising Chairman Andres B. Reyes, Jr., and members Rogelio B. Singson and Rossana A. Fajardo, the body was reduced to Mr. Reyes by the end of 2025, raising questions about its lifespan.

In February, the ICI submitted an accomplishment report to Malacañang, which later served as basis for President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s decision to close it on March 31.

While the seizure of assets, freezing of bank accounts, and jailing of some personalities could mean the investigative phase is largely completed, Mr. Ador Dionisio flagged a “significant governance risk” in closing the ICI before its expected results are fully delivered.

“The closure of a high-profile investigative body may create the perception that the effort is losing urgency.”

The lack of “substantive achievement” ahead of its shutdown would also suggest that the ICI’s corruption crackdown is “performative,” Joy G. Aceron, convenor-director of transparency group Government Watch, said.

“If they are not continued, they’ll come down as mere performative. Their purpose was only to manage the anger of the people. It did not mean to address corruption,” she said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

University of Santo Tomas Political Science Professor Eric Daniel C. de Torres added the flood mess just leaves Filipinos questioning whether the commission’s work was meant to pursue accountability or just to appease the public.

Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said the credibility of the anti-graft push will hinge less on individual officials’ reputations and more on whether the administration pursues accountability in a visibly fair and policy-driven manner.

“The Ombudsman’s pursuit of persons of interest and the recovery of relevant assets would be key to the achievement of justice, albeit there would be a clear need to demonstrate cross-party accountability across the accused,” he said via Facebook Messenger.

For Mr. Ador Dionisio, the next phase of the ICI must promote reforms on infrastructure protocols, processes and procurement, and jail time for individuals linked to alleged corruption cases from 2016 to the present.

“If the findings of the commission are systematically integrated into prosecutorial processes, legislative reforms, and long-term oversight mechanisms, the closure may represent the completion of a phase rather than the end of accountability,” he said.

“If not, it risks signaling a premature conclusion to anti-corruption efforts, potentially undermining broader governance reforms,” he added.

Despite its looming shutdown, Mr. Marcos ordered both chambers of Congress to fast-track a measure that would institutionalize and strengthen the body through the creation of the Independent People’s Commission (IPC).

Ms. Aceron said the ICI’s closure paved the way for this measure but noted the IPC will only be sustainable with people’s participation.

Mr. de Torres, however, questioned the need for an IPC, noting existing laws that already established mechanisms for accountability through the Ombudsman and Citizen’s Charter. He also flagged what seems to be a lack of interest to certify the bills granting the commission more teeth as urgent.

Senate Bill No. 1512, filed by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III last year, proposed an independent body to probe corruption and irregularities in government public works projects. The IPC will hold the power to subpoena, freeze assets and blacklist contractors to boost transparency and accountability in public spending. A similar proposal was filed in the House of Representatives.

“I think that it will not push through; to pass it is a political decision. With the way the early stage of investigation had gone through, it is expected that the individuals, offices, and systems in place is a web-like relationship that is very deep,” Mr. de Torres said in anticipation of possible conflicts of interest in the composition of an IPC.

The Philippines, a climate-vulnerable nation hit by an average of 20 typhoons annually, has consistently dedicated billions of pesos in its annual budgets to flood control projects to shield communities and protect local economies.

However, a series of storms mid-last year further exposed the gaps in the outdated flood control systems of the nation.