Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) may only have a month or two left before ceasing operations and submitting its findings and recommendations to his office.
In an interview with GMA’s Unang Balita on Friday, Dec. 5, Remulla emphasized that the ICI was never intended to operate “forever,” despite the scale of its mandate.
President Marcos established the ICI through Executive Order No. 94 last Sept. 11, tasking it to investigate government flood control and other infrastructure projects spanning the past 10 years.
The ICI is headed by retired Supreme Court associate justice Andres B. Reyes Jr. It has submitted several reports and recommendations to the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Tingin ko mga isa o dalawang buwan na lang ‘yang ICI, at maaari nang i-turnover sa amin lahat ng kanilang tinrabaho. Makakatulong yan sa aming gawain sapagkat iyong kanilang pag-aapura at pagtitingin sa mga ebidensya ay makakatulong sa amin ng mahigit,”said Remulla.
He pointed out that the Ombudsman has been “very active” in handling flood control cases, and the Office of the Ombudsman is even planning to hire new lawyers who will inherit all the workload they are currently on top of.
Remulla’s statements came after former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Rogelio Singson resigned from the ICI, citing the “very intense and stressful ICI work.”
He said that Singson had already bared his plan to resign earlier, and he understood Singson’s decision as the latter still has many personal things to attend to. (Czarina Ong Ki)
