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EJ Macababbad - The Philippine Star
December 13, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Outgoing Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) commissioner Rogelio Singson has confirmed his last day at work will be on Dec. 15.
Singson was asked yesterday if Malacañang has accepted his resignation.
“I gave 30 days irrevocable. If it’s not acted upon, it is deemed accepted,” he said in a chance interview.
Singson submitted his resignation letter in mid-November and delayed the announcement for weeks, “hoping that there would be some response” from the Chief Executive.
But the former public works chief was only met with silence, so ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr. disclosed the resignation on Dec. 3.
Singson is stepping down after admitting that his 77-year-old body cannot handle the stress of continuing to work in the commission. He insisted in interviews that no figure pressured him to resign or compromised his work during his three-month tenure.
Singson was open to extending his stay until Dec. 31, but he now makes clear that his last day in office is on Monday. It coincides with the final day of the ICI’s hearings for the year, with former public works undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral subpoenaed.
Does Singson have any recommendations for his replacement? Singson squinted before saying, “Ano namang karapatan ko (What right do I have?)”
No clarity on Fajardo
There’s still silence from the ICI’s side about former special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s claim that another commission member is headed for the exit.
While he did not give a definitive answer, Magalong said Reyes would continue “fulfilling his function” while his successor, Rodolfo Azurin Jr., would “definitely stay with the ICI to finish his task.”
That leaves only ICI commissioner Rossana Fajardo in the running whom Magalong said has a lot of work piled up as country managing partner of auditing giant SGV and Co.
When directly asked during Thursday’s episode of “Storycon” on One News if it’s Fajardo who’ll resign, Magalong shifted gears: “I don’t think I can answer that.”
But Magalong said that when the commission was only starting, the commissioners had the impression their stint would be short.
“They only know that their job will be finished within three to four months,” Magalong said.
“I can’t tell them, however, that it won’t be over; it will transcend administrations because of the bulk of the cases of anomalous projects.”
ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka did not reply to The STAR’s request for comment.
Singson said it’s better to ask Magalong about it.
Truth Commission
Meanwhile, human rights group Karapatan supported a new proposal at the House that would create an independent Truth Commission to investigate extrajudicial killings (EJKs).
The measure, filed by Rep. Leila de Lima and co-authored by lawmakers from the Makatao coalition, aims to uncover the full extent of the killings and ensure accountability.
House Bill 6686 seeks to establish a commission with the power to investigate EJK cases, identify patterns and causes, work with agencies such as the ombudsman and the Department of Justice and recommend reforms to prevent abuses. — Artemio Dumlao, Marc Jayson Cayabyab
