The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), established on Sept. 11, 2025 through Executive Order No. 94, is concluding the year with eight cases referred to the Ombudsman, the freezing of assets worth billions of pesos, and only one commissioner remaining in the body.

When it started, it had three commissioners. They were retired Supreme Court associate justice Andres Reyes Jr., who is the chairman; former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Babes Singson; and SGV & Co.'s country managing partner Rossana Fajardo.

A day after Christmas, Commissioner Rossana Fajardo announced she is resigning from the body effective Dec. 31.

Her move followed that of Singson who left the body on Dec. 15 due to the "stressful work" at the commission that was "taking its toll on his aging body." With Fajardo and Singson resigning, only Reyes is left as the last commissioner in the ICI.

Reyes downplayed the successive resignation of his fellow commissioners, saying it has come "at a natural point in the Commission's work."

Is it the end for the body? It isn't clear. But President Marcos has already told lawmakers to pass a measure to establish an Independent People's Commission, which will institutionalize the investigation and prosecution of individuals involved in corruption in the government's projects.

Nevertheless, ICI managed to fulfill its mandate of probing those behind the anomalous flood control projects and recommending possible charges against them in just three months of being established.

According to Reyes, their investigation led to the implication of around 100 individuals, including senators, congressmen, top- and mid-level DPWH officials as well as contractors, in the anomalous flood control projects.

Reyes also said the ICI had frozen more than P20.3 billion worth of assets, including 6,538 bank accounts, 255 motor vehicles, 178 real properties, 16 e-wallet accounts, three securities accounts, and 11 air assets, such as jets and helicopters.

The big chunk of which belonged to former Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co, whose frozen assets amounted to P12 billion.

Meanwhile, luxury vehicles of the contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya amounting to P47 million in total were sold in two auctions.

Curlee is now at the Senate detention, while Sara was already arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Graft, plunder, bribery and corruption were among the cases recommended by ICI, particularly for lawmakers who instructed the insertions in the national budget of projects that turned out substandard or non-existent at all and for DPWH officials and contractors that executed them.

The body also recommended the further investigation of lawmakers who also received kickbacks through their aides as well as those who had ownership links to construction companies that had secured government projects.

Since its establishment on Sep. 11, ICI has already made eight referral cases in total after conducting weekly hearings, except from Oct. 22 to Nov. 25 when it was crafting its livestreaming guidelines.

When it resumed its hearings, with congressmen Arjo Atayde of Quezon City 1st District and Dean Asistio of Caloocan 3rd District as the resource persons, the proceedings were supposed to be livestreamed for the first time. But both requested for executive sessions.

Only Laguna 4th district Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. and officials from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) allowed their proceedings to be livestreamed.

On Dec. 19, the death of former DPWH undersecretary Cathy Cabral, who the ICI described as "one of the central figures in the ongoing investigation of anomalous government infrastructure projects," also shocked the nation.

Cabral, who authorities said jumped off a cliff in Benguet, held so much information about the controversy that ICI asked authorities to ensure there was no foul play in her death.

Amid these developments, the public's clamor for justice and accountability continues, and ICI still has more work to do.

As the year ends, only about a dozen, mostly low-level staff of construction firms and former DPWH district engineers, have been arrested and detained. No "big fishes" or powerful names have been arrested so far. 

Co, who fled the country in the middle of the year and whose passport has been cancelled by the government on Dec. 10, has refused to return to the country to answer charges filed against him. He is facing charges for alleged violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; Government Procurement Reform Act; Malversation of Public Funds, Direct or Indirect Bribery and Corruption of Public Officers of the Revised Penal Code; Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.