President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday announced the appointment of retired Supreme Court (SC) Justice Andres Reyes Jr. as chairman of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), tasked to investigate alleged anomalies in multi-billion-peso flood control projects.
In a press briefing, Marcos said Reyes’ track record as a jurist made him the top choice to lead the probe.
“He has a very, very good record of honesty and fairness and a good record of being able to find justice for those who have been victimized,” the President said.
Joining Reyes in the commission are former Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson and SGV & Co. executive Rossana Fajardo, whose appointments were announced by the Palace over the weekend.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong will serve as consultant, with Marcos citing his experience as a police investigator and his contributions to the initial probe.
“He had a very, very detailed report already. He’s been working on this for a while so he can contribute a lot,” Marcos said.
The Chief Executive also emphasized that the ICI will operate independently.
“We will not interfere with their work,” he said, adding that the commission will meet daily to fast-track its proceedings.
The ICI’s creation comes amid mounting calls for accountability following reports of alleged corruption in flood control projects.
Marcos said the commission is expected to submit its findings as soon as possible to guide government reforms in public infrastructure spending.
