FOLLOWING the issuance of an executive order (EO) creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Malacañang designated two of its members and a special adviser who will investigate not only the alleged corruption in government-funded flood control, but also other infrastructure projects within the last 10 years.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro named on Saturday, September 13, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson and SGV and Co. Country Managing Partner Rossana Fajardo as two of the ICI members.
Meanwhile, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin “Benjie” Magalong was named the commission’s special adviser, who will serve as its investigator.
Castro said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed individuals to the commission who have “proven competence, integrity, and deep familiarity with infrastructure, finance, and institutional reform.”
“Pinakamahalaga sa lahat, wala ni isa sa kanila ang konektado sa anumang ahensiya o kontratistang iniimbestigahan,” Castro said. “Karapatan ng publiko ang magkaroon ng isang tunay na independent commission.”
Marcos has yet to designate the chairperson of the ICI. For now, meet the commission’s members and special adviser:
Rogelio “Babes” Singson
Singson is currently the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Metro Pacific Water and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, according to the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s website.
Before this, he served as a DPWH secretary for a full six-year term, from July 2010 to June 2016, during the administration of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. As a DPWH chief, he led the Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Program, as well as the implementation of major government infrastructure projects in the country.
“As former secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, he led one of the most significant reform efforts in the agency’s history, introducing systems to promote transparency, eliminate ghost projects, and ensure proper use of public funds,” Castro said.
Singson, who holds a degree in industrial engineering from the University of the Philippines, also headed the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) from 1998 to 2002.
“His technical understanding of how projects are designed, procured, and implemented will be essential to this commission’s work,” Castro added.
Before serving in the DPWH, Singson was the president and CEO of Maynilad Water Services for three years.
He is a recipient of the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Cross (Bayani) and the Outstanding Filipino Award for Government/Public Service.
Rossana Fajardo
Fajardo, a certified public accountant, sits as the country managing partner of SGV and Co., the Philippines’ largest professional services firm.
According to the Palace, she has over three decades of experience in auditing, internal controls, and risk management, particularly in “identifying weaknesses in financial system and operational processes.”
Fajardo’s LinkedIn page showed that she graduated cum laude with a degree in accounting from the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod and obtained her master’s degree in business administration and management from the Asian Institute of Management.
Fajardo completed the Ernst & Young Kellogg Account Leadership Program at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, as well as the Strategic Account Management Program at the London Business School.
“She has worked across both public and private sectors to help organizations detect fraud, strengthen governance, and build more accountable institutions,” Castro said.
“Her technical insight and financial acumen are critical in following the trail of public funds and determining where leakages and irregularities may have occurred,” she continued.
Adding to the feathers in Fajardo’s cap are her professional certifications as a Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certified Information Security Manager, and Certified Fraud Examiner. She also has certification in Risk and Information Systems Control.
Benjamin “Benjie” Magalong
Meanwhile, Magalong is a retired police general with a career spanning over 38 years in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The Baguio City mayor graduated magna cum laude from the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) “Sandigan” Class of 1982. He served as deputy director general of the PNP and director of the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Among his notable works was when he led the PNP Board of Inquiry (BOI)’s investigation on the tragic Mamasapano massacre, where 44 elite Special Action Force (SAF) troopers were killed in a firefight with insurgents during a police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, in January 2015. The BOI’s report held several officials, including Aquino, liable for the botched operation.
After retiring from the PNP in 2016, Magalong served as the country’s contact tracing czar at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He handled sensitive, high-impact investigations and helped lead institutional reforms in law enforcement through intelligence-driven, forensic-based approaches,” Castro said.
“His experience in leading difficult investigations, uncovering internal wrongdoing, and enforcing compliance makes him a strong asset to this commission,” she added.
Now a Baguio City Mayor, Castro said Magalong continues to apply his “strict standards of transparency and accountability” in the local government.
Marcos previously said that there would be no politicians in the commission. But why is Magalong involved? The Palace clarified that he will serve as a “special adviser,” not part of the three-member independent body.
‘Work immediately’
Malacañang said that the ICI has been mandated to begin its investigation “immediately,” amid the ongoing congressional probe into the alleged corruption in flood control projects.
Castro said there was no timeline set for the completion of the ICI’s investigation into the anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects.
“Ang pinaka timeline dito ay mas agaran o mas mabilisang pagtatrabaho. At mas mainam po matapos po ito sa loob lamang ng ilang buwan,” Castro said.
“Pero sabi nga po natin, sa dami po ng records na dapat aralin ay bigyan po natin ng pagkakataon ang ICI na aralin lahat ang mga dokumento para po kapag po may sinampahang kaso ay kumpleto naman po ang mga dokumento,” she added.
Under EO no. 94, the ICI—composed of a chairperson and two members—is mandated to investigate, receive, gather, and evaluate evidence, intelligence reports, and information on the alleged irregularities in government flood control and infrastructure projects.
Castro stressed that the ICI has been granted “broad investigative powers,” allowing it to issue subpoenas, recommend the filing of criminal or administrative cases, coordinate with prosecutorial and disciplinary bodies, and request relevant documents, such as books, contracts, bank records, and other materials needed for its investigation.
Various protests were recently held in the country, where Filipinos continue to demand full transparency and accountability for these substandard or “ghost” flood control projects.
