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Alexis Romero - The Philippine Star
April 1, 2026 | 12:00am
The Bureau of Customs conducts a public auction of 12 luxury vehicles, including units seized from flood control contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya, at the Bureau of Customs Port of Manila on Feb. 25.
Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — After the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) yesterday ceased operations upon submitting its confidential final report, Malacañang maintained that President Marcos has not forgotten the fight against corruption.
Various groups have expressed dissatisfaction with the fact-finding body’s probe as it failed to hold accountable the big fish behind the flood control scam.
“Hey, wake up! We know that the ICI has submitted its report not just to the ombudsman, but also to the Department of Justice (DOJ)… No one is sleeping when it comes to investigating flood control projects,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
Reiterating ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr.’s remarks, Castro said the ICI has fulfilled its mandate and issuing an executive order to abolish the body is unnecessary.
No one would be spared in the flood control probe, Castro asserted.
“Many are engaging in drama before the media. What we need is evidence that will serve as the basis for the prosecution of those involved,” she said. “Stop the drama. We have to start working.”
“The ICI did not sleep, did not rest and did not relax. All of the recommendations, those who were charged and those for further investigation, are now in the hands of the DOJ and ombudsman,” Castro said.
Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste lamented the ICI’s confidential final report, claiming that the body could not release it to the public out of fear that implicated officials might retaliate.
P611 million recovered
Over P611 million worth of funds and properties believed to have come from anomalous flood control projects have been recovered so far, the DOJ reported.
“A total of P611,381,500… has been returned to the DOJ and deposited to the Bureau of Treasury,” Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said yesterday.
Based on the DOJ’s breakdown as of March 16, most of the recovered funds came from former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo (P290 million).
Around P181.379 million came from former Bulacan public works engineer Henry Alcantara, followed by P20 million from SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos and P120.002 million from former Metro Manila public works engineer Gerard Opulencia.
The P611 million “covers not just the amount surrendered through restitution with the department, but also those which were assigned by Bernardo to the department,” DOJ spokesman Polo Martinez said.
Alcantara, Bernardo and Santos have been admitted to the witness protection program due to their compliance to restitution efforts.
Meanwhile, complaints filed against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and detained former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. may be resolved by DOJ prosecutors by “mid April,” Martinez said.
The DOJ has handled 24 cases related to the flood control scandal, nine of which were “endorsed to the ombudsman or with final resolution,” Vida said. — Delon Porcalla, Ghio Ong
