A flurry of resignations

“Stressed Singson quits ICI,” the Philippine Star headlined on Dec. 4.

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Rogelio Singson has resigned from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the independent body created by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., tasked with investigating anomalous infrastructure projects over the past 10 years. “As a former Public Works secretary, he has a good idea of where the bodies are buried,” Mr. Marcos said of Singson in September. “That will give us an immediate advantage when the commission is doing this.”

In mid-September, Mr. Marcos created the ICI and appointed Mr. Singson, who had served as the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) from 2010 to 2016 under the late former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, and SGV Country Managing Partner Rossana Fajardo as members, and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes, Jr. as chair. Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong was the special adviser and investigator to the Commission.

The ICI took over the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s initially assumed lead role in investigating the infrastructure projects — which were suspected of being anomalous — that exacerbated the damage of the unabating typhoons of the season.

At his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, President Marcos Jr. criticized corruption in flood control projects, revealing that a preliminary probe had found a small number of contractors had monopolized over P100 billion in contracts. Public outrage rose over the worst-ever systemic corruption that engulfed the country. Reported anomalies in flood control projects, including incomplete or substandard work and alleged ghost projects, unleashed widespread angry criticism of the government. Public discontent escalated calls for transparency and accountability, demanding the incarceration of the corrupt and the restitution of stolen wealth to the people.