Seasoned accountant Rossana Fajardo resigned from the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) on Friday, leaving Chairman Andres Reyes as the sole official steering the body just over three months after its creation.
Lawmakers say the departure of key figures from the ICI highlights the body’s failure to effectively investigate multibillion-peso flood control projects.
In a statement, Fajardo said she had “completed the work I set out to accomplish when I was appointed, ensuring that the foundational goals of the commission have been met.”
A former Country Managing Partner of SGV & Co., Fajardo is the third member of the ICI to resign, following former public works secretary Rogelio Singson earlier this month and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who left just two weeks after he was appointed special adviser.
“I believe that the investigative and prosecutorial responsibilities will now transition to other agencies, such as the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman, which are better positioned to ensure accountability for contractors and government officials,” Fajardo said.
She also cited recent legislative prioritization of bills for the creation of the Independent People’s Commission and the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption, a permanent body that, she said, “would be more effective” in supporting the Ombudsman in prosecuting those involved in the flood control scandal.
“It has been a profound honor to serve alongside individuals who are deeply committed to transparency and accountability, dedicating themselves selflessly to the Filipino people. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a collective mission that prioritizes the welfare of our citizens,” she said.
In a statement released hours after Fajardo announced her resignation, Malacañang said the veteran accountant “has already accomplished her tasks based on her mandate.”
“The administration recognized the crucial role played by ICI Commissioner Rossana Fajardo in gathering, studying, and assessing vital evidence to hold those involved in anomalous flood control projects accountable,” it said.
“However, the investigation continues in coordination with other investigating bodies. The administration’s fight against corruption is far from over,” it added.
‘Big players’
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice told CoverStory on Friday that Fajardo’s resignation underscores the failure of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to hold the “big players” accountable.
“Magalong, Singson, and Fajardo resigning means that the ICI executive order failed; Marcos failed to investigate,” Erice said.
On Sept. 11, Marcos signed Executive Order No. 94, creating the ICI to investigate flood control and other infrastructure projects dating back to 2015.
“The Senate Blue Ribbon was compromised, Cabral is dead, Zaldy Co suddenly went silent, Bonoan is out of the country, BBM failed to jail the big players, and the Cabinet secretaries named were not investigated,” Erice contended.
“It seems the President doesn’t mean what he says—Usec Castro keeps giving excuses,” he said.
Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima also told CoverStory on Friday that Fajardo’s resignation could signal the end of the ICI.
“This could spell the end of the ICI, highlighting the urgent need for a more independent, transparent, and powerful ICAIC and IPC,” De Lima said.
‘Flawed’ commission
“We can only surmise that her resignation reflects the same sentiments expressed by Secretary Singson regarding the ICI’s evident lack of authority and enforcement powers. We also cannot rule out pressure or influence from powerful players undermining the commission’s work,” she added.
De Lima and Erice are both authors of the IPC and the ICIAC bills pending in Congress.
Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña called the resignations of Fajardo and Singson “a testament to a commission flawed at its core.”
“Instead of holding the corrupt accountable, the ICI gives us resignations,” Cendaña said.
Marcos promised in November that dozens of individuals involved in flood control anomalies would be jailed before Christmas this year. So far, only contractor Sarah Discaya has been imprisoned, with no politicians implicated in the scandal yet behind bars.
Read more: ‘Intense, stressful ICI work’ and family security concerns force Singson to resign
