The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Monday, March 23, formally turned over to the Department of Justice (DOJ) its findings on its investigations into the anomalous government flood control projects.

It was not known immediately if the findings submitted to the DOJ were the same as those the ICI turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman last March 12.

Findings of the ICI, which was created by President Marcos last September 2025 and expected to wind up its operations on March 31, 2026, are recommendatory because it has no prosecutorial power like the Ombudsman and the DOJ.

The DOJ has concurrent jurisdiction with the Ombudsman in the probe of graft and corruption charges against government officials and employees with salary grade 26 and below, and the cases are filed before the regional trial courts (RTC).

The Ombudsman investigates similar charges against government officials and employees with salary grade 27 and above and the cases are filed before the Sandiganbayan.

RTC rulings on graft and corruption are appealable before the Sandiganbayan, and eventually before the Supreme Court (SC). Sandiganbayan ruling are appealable before the SC.

ICI Chairman and retired Supreme Court (SC) associate justice Andres Reyes Jr. met with DOJ Acting Secretary Fredderick A. Vida at the department’s main office in Manila for the formal turnover of the documents and pieces of evidence.

DOJ Spokesperson Raphael Niccolo L. Martinez told reporters that ICI Chairperson Reyes provided a comprehensive report on what has transpired during the commission’s investigation.

“Kasama na d’yan ‘yung breakdown (This includes a breakdown), outlining the referrals they had with the Ombudsman,” Martinez said.

He also said that Reyes disclosed that the ICI made a total of nine referrals to the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) from Sept. 29 to Dec. 3 last year and includes the referral of 65 persons for prosecution and, among them, 25 “notable individuals” including senators, members of the House of Representatives, and engineers and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Diniscuss din po ng ICI ‘yung scheme and system that they put in place to properly recover or suggest the freezing of these assets (The ICI also discussed the scheme and system they put in place to properly recover or freeze assets),” he added.

In the meantime, Martinez said the DOJ will study the evidence and documents submitted to the department by the ICI.

“So, there’s a process we have to follow. Kailangan maigi ‘yung pagbabasa ng ebidensya. Hindi po pwede i-fast track (The evidence has to be scrutinized. It cannot be fast tracked). So, we want it to be a judicious evaluation of the evidence. It has to be done properly and meticulously,” he said.

Afterwards, Martinez said “ire-refer namin ito sa (we will refer this to the) proper law enforcement agency to do its own investigation and then, afterwards, file it with the appropriate forum or institution, so that’s either with us or the Ombudsman.”

“Alternatively, upon assessment of the documents, pu-pwede rin ideretso ng DOJ mismo sa Ombudsman ang mga records na ito with its own recommendations and findings (we can also have the DOJ file this with the Ombudsman with our own recommendations and findings),” he added.

Last March 12, the ICI turned over to the Ombudsman two truckloads of documents concerning investigations conducted on the anomalous flood control projects.