December 24, 2025
MANILA – In his 2024 State of the Nation Address (Sona), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the completion of 5,000 flood control projects nationwide. But the flooding that followed Typhoon Carina—striking during and after his speech that year—cast doubt on that claim.
A year later, during his fourth Sona on July 28, 2025, Marcos publicly scolded government officials involved in corruption tied to flood control projects.
Less than a month later, on October 11, Marcos stated that it was “disturbing” that P100 billion—approximately 20 percent of the P545 billion flood control budget from July 2022 to May 2025—had been awarded to just 15 contractors.
The chief executive noted that five of these firms had projects in nearly all regions, raising concerns amid an ongoing investigation into almost 10,000 flood control projects. While he made no accusations, the President said the contractors’ projects should be closely examined.
Months after these revelations, the Inquirer revisits the government’s actions so far in probing the flood control scandal—from the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to the arrests tied to anomalous projects.
ICI formed for infrastructure anomalies probe
The ICI was created in September, following public clamor for transparency and accountability on the flood control anomalies.
Under Executive Order No. 94 signed by Marcos, the ICI has a mandate to probe infrastructure irregularities—not solely flood control projects—across the country over the past decade.
The original ICI members were:
- Former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr. – chairperson
- Former Public Works Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson – commissioner
- SGV & Co. Country Managing Partner Rossana Fajardo – commissioner
- Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong – special adviser
- Former Supreme Court Spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka – executive director
When Magalong resigned on September 26, he was replaced by former Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin.
The fact-finding body started its investigation with the power to conduct hearings and take testimonies, as well as receive, gather, and evaluate reports, evidence, and information before recommending the filing of charges to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Hearings
The ICI began its hearings with individuals implicated in the infrastructure anomalies, starting with flood control projects.
September 19, 2025 – The ICI held its first-ever hearing. Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Bulacan first district assistant engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez served as resource persons in the closed-door proceeding, where Hernandez surrendered one of his luxury vehicles—a GMC Denali—“as a sign of good faith and his willingness to further cooperate with the Commission.”
Afterwards, the investigating body continued its series of closed-door hearings, with personalities invited, including:
- Sen. Chiz Escudero
- Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez
- Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
- Sen. Joel Villanueva
- Sen. Mark Villar
- Sen. Grace Poe
- Former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo
- Former Public Works Undersecretary Maria Cataliana Cabral (now deceased)
- Former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara
- Former Bulacan assistant assistant engineer Jaypee Mendoza
- Former budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman
- Contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya
October 22, 2025 — Amid the public clamor to make its hearings public “for transparency,” ICI chair Andres Reyes said in a Senate hearing that the proceedings will be live-streamed “next week.”
October 23, 2025 — ICI chair Andres Reyes released a statement, saying that the commission would need to study and draft rules of procedure and parameters first before live-streaming the proceedings. The ICI then continued its closed-door hearings.
November 21, 2025 — The ICI announced its livestreaming guidelines. It states that all hearings will be live, except when an executive session is necessary. The ICI will grant a resource person’s request for a closed-door hearing if the information to be divulged must be kept confidential in the interest of national defense or security, and if such disclosure would put the life and safety of an individual in danger, among other considerations. Hosaka said the commission is ready to livestream its next proceedings.
November 25, 2025 — The ICI conducted two hearings after the announcement of the livestreaming guidelines, with Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde and Caloocan City 3rd District Rep. Dean Asistio serving as resource persons. However, these were held in executive sessions upon the request of the lawmakers, which the commission granted to establish a “factual and legal basis.”
Other lawmakers who attended subsequent hearings but requested and were granted an executive session include:
- Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos
- Quezon 3rd District Rep. Reynante Arrogancia
- Occidental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Leody Tarriela
- Quezon City 6th District Rep. Marivic Co-Pilar
- Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas
- Bulacan First District Representative Danilo Domingo
December 2, 2025 — The ICI live streamed its proceedings for the first time, with the resource persons attending being Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin “Benjie” Agarao Jr. and representatives and officials of the Land Bank of the Philippines.
Other resource persons who attended the hearing via livestreaming were Pasig City Lone District Rep. Roman Romulo and Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo.
December 15, 2025 — The ICI conducted its last hearing for the year, with Toledo and AGAP Party-List Rep. Nicanor Briones serving as resource persons. Briones requested an executive session. Former Public Works Undersecretary Cabral was subpoenaed to attend the hearing again, but did not appear before the ICI.
On the same day, ICI commissioner Babes Singson had his last day at the ICI after submitting his resignation letter in November due to health reasons.
Meanwhile, there are also personalities who were invited to attend the hearing but did not appear. These include:
- Former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co
- Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte
- Benguet Lone District Rep. Eric Yap
Ghost projects, restitution bid
Aside from holding hearings, the ICI also conducted site inspections with other agencies, such as the DPWH, and formed a technical working group to recover stolen public funds in connection with anomalous infrastructure projects.
October 9, 2025 — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon reported to the ICI that at least 421 flood control works were found to be “ghost projects” out of the 8,000 inspected across the country.
October 16, 2025 — The ICI formed a technical working group composed of different agencies with a bid to restitute stolen public funds. Hosaka announced that a rough estimate of P5 billion has already been frozen by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The technical working group then held a series of meetings every week to expedite the recovery of public funds and assets linked to irregular or anomalous flood control projects.
November 12, 2025 — Azurin said out of the 421 validated “ghost” flood control projects across the country, the ICI will prioritize its investigation into 80 projects involving the top 15 contractors named by Marcos.
Azurin, together with the DPWH, then conducted inspections of flood control projects in different areas of the country, such as in Cebu and Ilocos Norte. The ICI said these would be useful in their case buildup in recommending charges to the Office of the Ombudsman.
November 20, 2025 — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) conducted a public auction of the seven retrieved luxury cars of contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya. Three of these were sold, raising a total of P38.2 million.
November 25, 2025 — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) turned over 95 boxes of documents on 28 alleged ghost infrastructure projects in seven regions to the ICI. This was followed by three more batches of boxes of documents being delivered to the fact-finding body.
November 28, 2025 — Henry Alcantara turned over to the Department of Justice P110 million of the P300 million he received as kickbacks from flood control projects.
December 4 — Contractor Sally Santos, the owner of SYMS Construction Trading, P5 million to the DOJ.
December 5, 2025 — Two more luxury cars of the Discayas were sold, generating P9 million in revenue after the Bureau of Customs re-auctioned the four remaining vehicles of the contractor couple.
December 19, 2025 — Alcantara surrendered over 71 million to the DOJ. This was the second tranche of the P300-million kickbacks that he got from flood control projects.
Also on December 19, the AMLC secured a new freeze order on 1,193 bank accounts of several major contractors and a member of the House of Representatives. This put the total value of immobilized assets under the flood control scandal at P20.3 billion.
December 23, 2025 — Sally Santos surrendered around P15 million more to the DOJ. This brings the total amount she returned to the government to P20 million as she applies to be a state witness in the flood probe.
Immigration lookout order
Amid the series of hearings and other forms of investigation that the commission has been conducting, it requested an immigration lookout bulletin order from the Department of Justice for individuals who were implicated in the flood control anomalies.
October 8, 2025 — The ICI requested the Department of Justice to issue an immigration lookout bulletin against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Joel Villanueva, ex-senators Bong Revilla and Nancy Binay, and several others, who were linked to the anomalous infrastructure projects.
October 15, 2025 — The ICI issued an immigration lookout bulletin order against 16 individuals, including former Rep. Mary Mitzi “Mitch” Cajayon-Uy.
November 19, 2025 — The ICI requested the Department of Justice to issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against 17 more individuals—composed of former DPWH officials and Sunwest officials—in relation to the criminal cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman at the Sandiganbayan on November 18, 2025, in connection “with alleged ghost projects and substandard flood-control implementations.”
Interim reports submitted to Ombudsman
September 29, 2025 – The ICI submitted its first interim report, flagging possible anomalies in a P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. The 32-page report recommended charges against 18 officials, including Co, for violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation, falsification of documents, and breaches of the Government Procurement Reform Act.
October 29, 2025 – The second report recommended criminal and administrative cases against Estrada, Villanueva, Co, and three others in connection with suspected “ghost” flood control projects based on alleged kickback schemes cited in affidavits by former DPWH officials Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza.
November 4, 2025 – The third report recommended charges against former DPWH officials over a P72-million flood control project in Plaridel, Bulacan.
November 6, 2025 – The fourth report recommended charges over a P95-million flood control project in Bocaue, Bulacan, where COA found no structure at the specified location.
November 13, 2025 – The fifth report recommended charges against Bonoan and others over a P74-million flood control project in Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Prior to the submission of the second report, then-Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla became the new Ombudsman, replacing Samuel Martires.
Under Remulla, the Sandiganbayan was set to craft rules and procedures to expedite the filing of cases related to the flood control projects. The Ombudsman announced on October 21 that preliminary investigations into these cases, including those in Oriental Mindoro and Bulacan, would span 60 days.
Flood control-related cases at the Sandiganbayan
November 18, 2025 – The Ombudsman filed cases against Co and former DPWH officials over anomalies in the Oriental Mindoro project, stemming from the first ICI referral. Charges include malversation through falsification and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, with Co facing a separate graft charge.
November 21, 2025 – The Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders against Co and 15 others and the PNP is coordinating to enforce them.
December 2, 2025 – Nine DPWH officials pleaded not guilty to malversation charges which was entered before the Sixth Division, while graft charges were filed before the Fifth Division.
December 5, 2025 – Malversation and graft charges were filed against contractor Discaya, nine DPWH officials, and Remando for a P96.5-million “ghost project” in Davao Occidental.
December 18, 2025 – Discaya was arrested by the NBI and the PNP called on her co-accused to surrender amid a nationwide manhunt.
Senators linked to the flood control scandal
Revilla was included in the ICI’s December 3 recommendation to the Ombudsman for criminal prosecution, including plunder. The referral lists nine other individuals for possible charges, including bribery, corruption, plunder and administrative offenses.
Revilla’s camp, through spokesperson Guinto, expressed disappointment, noting that he had not received a subpoena or complaint and had not been given an opportunity to defend himself.
Aside from Revilla, four former and incumbent senators—Escudero, Villar, Binay, and Poe—were recommended to the Ombudsman for further investigative review and case build-up. These referrals were based on affidavits and testimonies from Bernardo.
Ombudsman Remulla said arrest warrants may be issued during the Christmas season against senators linked to the anomalies. He described Revilla’s case as “low-hanging fruit” and confirmed that cases are being built against other high-profile officials, including Escudero and Binay.
Cabral’s death
Cabral was found unconscious at the Bued River on Kennon Road in Benguet and declared dead on the night of December 18, 2025. Her body was found some 30 meters from the riverbank in Barangay Camp 4, Tuba.
Her death follows investigations into flood control and slope protection projects flagged as anomalous. She had been named in the probe after Bernardo linked her to alleged irregularities, which she denied.
Assistant Ombudsman Clavano confirmed that Cabral had been invited and questioned on December 3, 2025, more than two weeks before her death, regarding her knowledge of ongoing investigations. Cabral had legal counsel and shared limited information, requesting details of allegations to prepare her defense.
Following her death, the Ombudsman announced plans to seek a cyber warrant to preserve Cabral’s electronic devices, including her cellphone and work computer, believed to contain critical information on proponents linked to the flood control anomalies. Clavano stressed securing the gadgets immediately to prevent alteration or deletion while respecting the family’s grief and allowing DNA testing and an autopsy.