Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has been tapped as special adviser and investigator to the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which will probe alleged corruption and misuse of public funds in flood control and infrastructure projects over the past decade.
Alongside Magalong’s appointment, Malacañang named two of the commission’s three members: former Public Works Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson and SGV & Co. managing partner Rossana Fajardo, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing on Saturday, Sept. 13.
Singson is known for instituting transparency reforms at the Department of Public Works and Highways, while Fajardo brings decades of experience in auditing and risk management.
While Magalong will not sit on the three-member panel, his role is expected to strengthen the commission’s investigative capacity.
A former deputy director general of the Philippine National Police and chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Magalong has led high-profile probes and institutional reforms in law enforcement.
Castro addressed concerns about Magalong’s early public remarks on infrastructure anomalies, urging the public to allow him to contribute meaningfully to the investigation.
“Kung ano man po ang makukuha niya sa pamamagitan ng kanyang effort, maaari niya itong ibigay mismo sa ICI,” she said.
Created under Executive Order No. 94, the ICI will have broad powers to issue subpoenas, access contracts and bank records, and recommend criminal, civil, or administrative cases.
The commission will prioritize projects from the last 10 years, with no fixed deadline for completion.
The chairperson of the commission is expected to be announced in the coming days. (Argyll Geducos)
