AT THE RATE funding and staffing support is being released – too late for its members and volunteers to subsist– and the mounting pressure from within government and the people, it is now not surprising that its creator, the President, would just disband and scrap it all together, sooner than later.
The cue came from no less the Ombudsman (Crispin Remulla) who recently hinted that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s life may be extinguished in “a month or two.”
Besides, as political analysts and critics have said, the reports ICI have been probing are reaching closer to the powers-that-be inside the Palace and their powerful accomplices and relatives.
SHORT OF EXPECTATION
ICI was created as a shell on September 11 weeks after the President “exposed” what he described as a conspiracy involving the Department of Public Works and Highways and its select contractors and congressmen behind what is now notoriously referred to as the flood control scandal.
The promise to livestream the proceedings in response to wide public clamor have all banished at the mere request for executive session by those invited resources, which was numerous and frequent.
The resignation of its second adviser, the credible ex-DPWH Secretary Rogelio “Babes’ Singson dashed all hopes for a genuine outcome that the people hoped for.
The first resignation of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong was not a big letdown as he has a reputation of being a Duterte loyalist.
ANGRY MOB PROTESTS
In the past two Trillion Million Peso rallies against massive and systemic corruption in government, people have changed and shouted loud and hard for transparency, decency and accountability and to exhaust all constitutional means of reforms.
But at the rate the aspired change has been eluding them, all hopes for change might never come forth.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, whose office is mandated to investigate all top officials of government for graft and corruption, impliedly hinted at the duplication of ICI’s operation with his. But being an appointee of the President, could he prove himself any credible.
NOT MEANT TO LAST
In an interview with Unang Balita last Friday, Remulla said that’s the direction where it’s headed, because the ICI isn’t meant to last forever, and there is a law that created the Office of the Ombudsman, “which we are now very actively implementing.”
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla hinted that the commission’s days are numbered, saying ICI may have only “a month or two” left before it wraps up its probe into anomalous flood control and public works projects and turns everything over to his office.
“‘Yun ang direksyon niyan, kasi hindi naman forever ang ICI at meron namang batas na nag-create ng Office of the Ombudsman na ngayon naman ay very active kami,” Remulla told GMA News’ Unang Balita on Friday.
Remulla was appointed Ombudsman in October, almost a month after ICI was created.
BARELY THREE MONTHS
ICI, barely three months old, was created by President Marcos Jr. on September 11 to investigate multi-billion-peso corruption in flood control and other public infrastructure projects.
Under the current setup, ICI submits referrals to the Ombudsman. The constitutional body then conducts fact-finding and preliminary investigations, then later decides whether a case reaches the courts.
ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka stressed “the commission will remain in place and continue its functions until it completes its mandate or is dissolved by the President.”
Of course it is expected of him to say so as it is his hope that he would sustain the limelight and the pay, no matter how measly it is compared to private practice.
THE SINGSON FACTOR
Singson, whose integrity is much admired by the people, has often said that the ICI is powerless to act. He adds that the Philippines is far behind countries like Singapore and Hong Kong that have institutionalized anti-corruption bodies.
Some of the remaining members of ICI are Chair Andres Reyes, Commissioner Rossana Fajardo, Special Adviser Rodolfo Azurin, and Hosaka, reported Rappler.
Since its creation, critics have questioned ICI’s transparency. There was a demand to livestream its hearings following a halt in Senate and House investigations into the flood control scandal.
ICI eventually hinted at publicizing hearings, via livestreaming but many witnesses evaded the cameras by invoking “executive sessions.”
WEAK AND UNFUNDED
Even insiders admit the commission is weak. Singson himself said ICI doesn’t have enough powers. It can’t even compel a witness to appear.
Budget delays didn’t help either. Funding was approved only in early November, months after ICI’s creation. Hosaka said that the notice of cash allocation was released on Friday, December 5.
He said that the commission is already coordinating with the Land Bank of the Philippines to determine if it can start using its allotted funds.
So is it the end for ICI? Well, in the House and Senate, there are pending bills that seek to create an independent commission tasked to investigate corruption in the country.
LAST DITCH EFFORT
Singson expressed hope that before yearend, there would be “a much stronger independent commission with proper powers and authorities that ICI doesn’t have.”
If ICI folds, a new investigative body could mark a fresh start. But with lawmakers and even some executive members linked to flood control anomalies, can such a commission be truly independent and transparent?