ICI sets field validation of 421 ghost flood control projects

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is all set for its field validation of 421 flood control projects found to be nonexistent by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev).

- By RAINIER ALLAN RONDA

ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said the commission held a technical and coordination meeting with engineers from the PNP in connection with the field validation.

“So we wanted to coordinate with them to discuss with them on the procedure and how we will go about this,” Hosaka said in a press briefing at the ICI offices in Taguig yesterday.

Hosaka said that the discussions, which also included Michael Reyes of the Council of Engineering Consultants of the Philippines, covered technologies that could be used for the field validation.

“We wanted to also ask him with regard on his expertise on how we can go about the validation of these 421 ghost projects,” Hosaka said.

Earlier this month, DPWH chief Vince Dizon turned over the list of 421 ghost flood control projects out of the 8,000 it investigated with the PNP, the AFP and DEPDev.

These ghost projects were found across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with a considerable concentration in Luzon.

Dizon stressed that these are only initial figures, as there are around 100,000 projects that still need to be validated.

However, since these are ghost projects, Dizon said it would be easier to establish liability and culpability in each case. Filing cases will also be faster, he said.

At the same time, former DPWH undersecretary for regional operations Roberto Bernardo again begged off from appearing before the ICI today (Wednesday) due to “continued illness.”

“He will not be coming because he informed us that he’s still sick,” Hosaka said, noting that Bernardo did not inform them of the nature of his illness.

“But we will provide you (that information). We already asked for a medical certificate,” he added.

‘No duplication of DOJ, ICI probes’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) gave assurance yesterday that there is no duplication between its ongoing flood control investigations and those being conducted by the ICI.