The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) announced that it will file 15 referrals before the Office of the Ombudsman against individuals implicated in the alleged flood control project anomalies within the next two to three weeks.
During a press conference held on Monday in Taguig, retired PNP chief and newly appointed special adviser, Rodolfo Azurin, said the identities of those who will face cases depend on the evidence currently in the commission’s possession.
"Ang target namin na yung sa third to fourth week starting from now, we can be able to file at least 15 cases. Kasi, bibigyan na sa amin yung documentary, yung initially 421 and then ‘yun ang i-technical validation ngayon ng mga engineers natin," Azurin said.
According to RH Jecelle Ricafort's report on DZRH's Operation Tulong, this week, ICI engineers will conduct technical inspections and audit documentation for flood control projects nationwide. The commission plans to visit and verify 421 suspected ghost projects, as earlier reported by Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon.
The ICI reported that 12.5 percent, or approximately 29,800, of the country’s 238,000 infrastructure projects from 2016 to 2025 are classified as flood control projects.
According to data presented by the ICI, around 8,000 of these projects have already been validated and inspected by teams from the Department of National Defense–Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP), the Department of the Interior and Local Government–Philippine National Police (DILG-PNP), the Department of Development (DepDev), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Out of the validated projects, 421 have been tagged as suspected ghost flood control projects implemented between 2018 and 2024.
The majority of these suspected ghost projects, 261 are located in Luzon, 109 in the Visayas, and 51 in Mindanao, according to ICI data.
The commission will focus on case buildup and documentation over the next week, followed by the drafting and filing of formal cases in the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co has yet to respond to a subpoena issued by the ICI. He was summoned to appear before the commission’s hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday.
ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka said the commission will seek relief from the Regional Trial Court to cite Co in contempt if he fails to attend the hearing.
Hosaka admitted that the situation poses a challenge to the commission since Co is currently outside the Philippines.
Co was also implicated in receiving kickbacks from government projects, particularly those related to the alleged anomalous flood control projects.
