Palace: ICI closure not end of flood control inquiryMANILA, Philippines — The pursuit of people involved in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal continues even with the looming closure of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Malacañang said yesterday. The conclusion of ICI does not signal the end of the inquiry,”Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said. Furthermore, they have the power to conduct more investigations motu proprio,” the Palace press officer said. Several groups, including Akbayan, questioned the impending shutdown of the ICI, saying the “big fish are still swimming free.”Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima also criticized the planned closure of the ICI, saying it failed to conduct a serious investigation and to hold those involved in the flood control corruption accountable. Ferdinand Topacio, who serves as spokesman for the Duterte-aligned Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, earlier labeled the ICI as a “waste of taxpayers’ money.”

Source: Philippine Star March 15, 2026 16:06 UTC