ICI-TWG drafting framework asset recovery

THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) technical working group (TWG) on Monday said it is drafting a proposal to improve tracking of frozen and recovered assets.

“We have a draft proposal for a joint memorandum of agreement among member agencies, and we earlier presented a dashboard… and a database… Once operational, this framework will enable real-time tracking of both frozen and recovered assets, as well as the related legal cases,” Renato “Aboy” A. Paraiso, acting executive director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), said.

Mr. Paraiso was appointed chair of the TWG, while Justice Undersecretary Deo L. Marco will serve as vice-chair, leading efforts on case build-up and asset recovery.

He added that collaboration with international authorities, including Singapore, is underway to manage overseas air assets linked to former congressman Elizaldy S. Co.

The TWG intends to meet every Tuesday to maintain momentum and monitor progress, Mr. Paraiso said.

It convened its third session on Monday amid continued push to recover more assets allegedly acquired through anomalous flood control projects.

“The demand is still very strong for people who are involved, they’d like to see them in jail,” said ICI Commissioner Rogelio “Babes” L. Singson, referencing the ongoing “one trillion rally.” He described the TWG as a platform for addressing non-legal avenues, including asset recovery and administrative remedies, while acknowledging that legal proceedings remain ongoing.

The TWG comprises key government agencies, including the Bureau of Customs (BoC), Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine National Police (PNP), Anti-Money Laundering Council, CICC, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the Department of Justice, among others.

This subgroup within the ICI is tasked with tracing, freezing, and recovering wealth allegedly siphoned through questionable flood control projects.

During the session, the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group submitted documents from its technical field validation of suspected “ghost” flood control projects.

Meanwhile, the BoC reported it will adjust the floor price in bidding confiscated high-value assets, including luxury vehicles linked to government contractors Pacifico F. Discaya II and Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya.

To encourage competitive bidding, the BoC adjusted floor prices on several items: a Rolls-Royce was lowered to P36 million from P45 million, while a Toyota Sequoia was reset at P4.6 million.

Chris Noel Bendijo, deputy chief of staff at the BoC, said the agency is set to hold the second round of auctions for the Discayas-owned luxury vehicles on Dec. 5. Items include a 2023 Rolls-Royce Cullinan, 2022 Bentley, 2022 Toyota Tundra, and 2023 Toyota Sequoia.

Mr. Bendijo said that by lowering the price, “we are encouraging and enticing more bidders to participate, which would eventually lead to better competition.”

If there are no takers in the second or subsequent auctions, the BoC has the discretion to destroy the luxury vehicles.

“Remember that aside from disposition based on sale, we can resort to condemnation or just destroy those vehicles… So that is still an available option,” Mr. Bendijo said told a press briefing after the asset recovery meeting at the ICI. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking