Resignations fuel skepticism over Marcos corruption fight

By Erika Mae P. Sinaking

THE recent resignations of key commissioners from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) have cast doubt on the Marcos administration’s anti-corruption efforts, analysts said, raising questions about the body’s independence and effectiveness.

Household names among the exits include Rossana A. Fajardo and Rogelio L. Singson, whose departures come as the ICI works to investigate irregularities in flood control and other infrastructure projects. Reports of a potential dissolution of the commission have further fueled skepticism.

“It appears that most of the commissioners already recognize that their ability to act is limited, given the institution’s lack of independence and the capacity needed to carry out its role effectively,” Arjan P. Aguirre, a political science lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

He added that some commissioners might have encountered the influence of powerful figures, further eroding credibility.

Anthony Lawrence A. Borja, an associate professor at De La Salle University, noted that the ICI “was already weak and limited to begin with.” He said the Marcos administration focused on a separate body for infrastructure to contain corruption within that sector rather than strengthen existing anti-corruption agencies.

As commissioners began leaving, whatever sense of seriousness the body once evoked quickly faded, he said, citing lack of support, occupational risks and diminished confidence in the commission’s effectiveness.

“From the public’s perspective, this is unsurprising — even if disappointing,” Mr. Borja said. “The probable collapse of the ICI will reinforce the perception that corruption is an irresolvable problem voters would rather excuse than condemn.”

The ICI’s remaining commissioner, Andres B. Reyes, Jr., described Ms. Fajardo’s resignation as occurring at a “natural point” and said the body would focus on finalizing remaining cases for the Ombudsman to pursue in court.

Carl Marc L. Ramota, a professor at the University of the Philippines Manila’s Department of Social Sciences, said the resignations have eroded the ICI’s credibility and, with it, public confidence in the administration’s ability to deliver on its promises.

“The timing reinforces the public’s negative perception and fuels discontent,” he said, noting that the declining net trust ratings of top government officials and reports of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials allegedly recanting only exacerbate the problem.

Under Executive Order No. 94, which created the ICI, the commission may be dissolved by the President or upon fulfilling its mandate. The commission “was never meant to last — it was a band-aid given the urgency, and it could also just have been political theater,” political analyst Jesus Nicardo M. Falcis III told BusinessWorld via Messenger.

Public confidence has been further shaken by reports that former DPWH official Henry C. Alcantara had recanted parts of his testimony on “ghost” flood control projects, though the Department of Justice said no formal recantation had been filed.

President Marcos’ net trust rating fell to -3 in November 2025 from +7 in September, reflecting broader concerns over governance, according to a Social Weather Stations survey commissioned by Stratbase Group.

Recent developments do little to bolster the administration’s anti-corruption credentials, Mr. Ramota said, highlighting the challenge the government faces in restoring public trust.