The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has partnered with Philippine National Police (PNP) engineers to conduct field validation of hundreds of alleged “ghost projects” as part of its ongoing probe into infrastructure anomalies nationwide.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said the commission held a technical and coordination meeting with PNP engineers in preparation for the validation of 421 flood control projects recently flagged for irregularities.
Hosaka also revealed that the ICI has invited Engineer Michael Reyes from the Council of Engineering Consultants of the Philippines to provide technical expertise on the validation process.
In addition, the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) have been asked to assist in evidence handling and documentation to ensure that findings from the field inspections can be used in potential legal proceedings.
“We are looking at evidence here — what we are looking at is that a crime has happened. So we have to make sure that the evidence to be gathered will be acceptable in court. That is their value, why they are here,” Hosaka explained.
The ICI’s intensified field operations come amid mounting public scrutiny over alleged corruption and fund misuse in flood control and other infrastructure projects across the country.