PHILIPPINES

Marcos Jr. Appoints Ex-Supreme Court Justice to Head Infrastructure Probe

September 15, 2025
Vannesa Lee Orquestra / Apple Majait / Jessa Lombao

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. names former Supreme Court Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr. to head the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, tasked with investigating past flood control projects amid promises of government reform.

MANILA, Philippines – In a move hailed as a potential “turning point in the conduct of governance,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tapped former Supreme Court Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr. to lead the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). The commission is tasked with investigating flood control and other infrastructure projects over the past decade.

The President made the announcement on Monday, September 15, emphasizing the urgency of the matter. “All of them are in agreement that we have to move very quickly. Hindi pwedeng mapanis lahat itong information na binigay ng taumbayan sa Isumbong mo sa Pangulo (We cannot let the information submitted to us go to waste),” Marcos stated. He was referring to discussions with the commission members and the “Isumbong mo sa Pangulo” website, a platform launched by the executive branch to gather public input on flood control projects.

Marcos highlighted the importance of the commission’s swift action, noting that the three-member body is scheduled to convene on September 15 to establish their operational procedures. According to the President, the commission members have committed to daily meetings, underscoring the administration’s commitment to addressing infrastructure concerns promptly and effectively.

“We have to make a change, and it is a fundamental change in the way that we do business,” Marcos asserted, signaling a departure from traditional approaches to governance and accountability.

The President also addressed the decision to entrust this critical task to an independent commission rather than existing government agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or the Philippine National Police (PNP). Marcos explained that these agencies, being part of the government, might not provide the level of impartiality required for such a comprehensive investigation.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former Supreme Court Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr. to head the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), tasked with investigating flood control and other infrastructure projects of the last decade. Marcos emphasized that he would have no say in the commission’s processes or staffing.

The President made the announcement on Monday, September 15, underscoring the urgency of the matter. “All of them are in agreement that we have to move very quickly. Hindi pwedeng mapanis lahat itong information na binigay ng taumbayan sa Isumbong mo sa Pangulo (We cannot let the information submitted to us go to waste),” Marcos stated, referring to the “Isumbong mo sa Pangulo” website.

Reyes, appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017 by former president Rodrigo Duterte, is a career judiciary public servant. He began as a judge in 1987, rising to become presiding justice of the Court of Appeals before his Supreme Court stint. During his time on the Supreme Court, Reyes consistently voted in favor of cases aligned with Duterte’s interests, including a dissent in the controversial Philippine Airlines labor retrenchment case.

Upon his retirement in 2020, Reyes highlighted his ability to manage and resolve a high volume of cases as his primary achievement. “I thought that the best way that I can contribute to the court was to try to finish all the cases that was assigned to me… I decided more cases than what was assigned and raffled to me,” he said during his retirement ceremony. Reyes’ family is also known for owning the popular Aristocrat restaurant.

Malacañang announced the appointment of Rogelio “Babes” Singson and accountant Rossana Fajardo as ICI members, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as ICI special adviser and investigator, on Saturday. Marcos signed Executive Order 94, formally establishing the ICI, on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

New Commission to Investigate Flood Control Project Corruption; Magalong Named Special Adviser

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed the two members of the newly established Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which was formed to probe corruption in flood control projects over the past decade. The appointments were made based on their demonstrated competence and integrity.

Malacañang announced on Saturday that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio L. Singson and SGV and Co. Country Managing Partner Rossana A. Fajardo have been appointed as the two members of the Commission.

President Marcos also designated Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as Special Adviser, who will serve as an investigator for the Commission.

Executive Order No. 94, issued on September 11, established the ICI to investigate and recommend appropriate charges against government officials, employees, or individuals involved in irregularities in flood control and related projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over the last 10 years.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated in a press briefing in Malacañang on Saturday, “To lead this task, the President has appointed individuals of proven competence, integrity, and deep familiarity with infrastructure, finance, and institutional reform.”

Castro mentioned that President Marcos will announce the chairperson of the ICI in the coming days.

Castro noted that Singson brings decades of direct experience in planning and executing major government infrastructure projects, having served as head of the DPWH from 2010 to 2016 and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) from 1998 to 2002.

Castro said, “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.”

She added, “His technical understanding of how projects are designed, procured, and implemented will be essential to this commission’s work.”

Fajardo, currently the Country Managing Partner of SGV and Co., the Philippines’ largest professional services firm, has over three decades of experience in auditing internal controls and risk management, “especially in identifying weaknesses in financial system and operational processes,” according to Castro.

The Palace Press Officer stated that Fajardo has worked across both public and private sectors to “help organizations detect fraud, strengthen governance, and build more accountable institutions.”Castro emphasized, “Her technical insight and financial acumen are critical in following the trail of public funds and determining where leakages and irregularities may have occurred.”

Meanwhile, Magalong has handled sensitive, high-impact investigations and helped lead institutional reforms in law enforcement, having served as Deputy Director General of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and former Director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Castro said, “His experience in leading difficult investigations, uncovering internal wrongdoing, and enforcing compliance makes him a strong asset to this commission.”