A former Philippine National Police chief has been appointed investigator and special adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), replacing Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong – also a retired PNP official – who resigned just two weeks after his appointment to the post.
Malacañang announced yesterday the appointment of retired Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., who served as PNP chief from August 2022 to April 2023.
‘The administration is confident that General Azurin’s experience and leadership will further strengthen the commission’s mandate to uphold accountability and transparency in the use of public funds,’ the Office of the President (OP) said in a statement.
Sought for reaction to his appointment, Azurin, who is abroad, told The STAR via Messenger, ‘I will be honored to help the administration in its ongoing investigation and to support the call of the President for better governance for a better Philippines.’
Azurin will assume his duties after concluding his personal and administrative arrangements, according to the OP statement.
A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy’s Makatao’ Class of 1989, Azurin served as commander of the Northern Luzon Police Area, which covers the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions.
Azurin was embroiled in the alleged cover-up of the P6.7-billion shabu haul involving high-ranking PNP officers, which the Senate had investigated.
He was later cleared in the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs’ investigation on the controversy.
President Marcos, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to Magalong for his service and contributions to the administration’s anti-corruption efforts.
‘His efforts in safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the commission have been vital to the government’s campaign against corruption in infrastructure projects,’ the OP said.
In a letter to the President which circulated on Friday, Magalong said he resigned as special adviser to the ICI to spare it from doubts related to his appointment. ‘This was not an easy choice,’ Magalong said in a statement, ‘but one I believe is necessary.’
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto meanwhile clarified that he had never been offered the job of IC advisor and investigator, contrary to a report on a news channel.
In a Facebook post, Sotto said he was misquoted by Bilyonaryo News Channel when asked if he would accept the ICI post following the resignation of Magalong, who is a co-convenor in the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG).
Aside from Sotto and Magalong, the other convenors are Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Isabela City Mayor Sitti Hataman.
‘I was quoted wrong. If you listen carefully, what I said was, ‘Nag-release na po kami ng statement.’ What I was referring to was our statement from M4GG in support of Mayor Benjie Magalong,’ he said.
After being called out for its decision not to livestream its proceedings, the ICI said it would make sure its probe on corruption in flood control projects would be insulated from political interference.
‘It’s important that we maintain the integrity of the commission,’ ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said yesterday. ‘We don’t want the commission to be used for any political agenda.’
He maintained that the ICI’s investigation is a process that involves careful assessment of every piece of evidence laid out before the three-member body.
‘It’s hard to simply believe the statement of one witness, especially if his or her background is unknown,’ Hosaka said.
‘The commission needs to be prudent so that the cases filed would be supported by correct evidence and hold judicial scrutiny,’ he added.
Hosaka reiterated that the committee would not be beholden to any political party.
‘We will be independent,’ he said, adding, ‘We will not allow any group to use us for any political agenda or leverage because we want to seek the truth. We want to know who was really responsible for this mess. We owe that to the Filipino people.’
‘Currently, the ICI hearings are not livestreamed. This is the present policy of the commission. The initial hearings, so far, are for purposes of case build-up for criminal, civil and administrative action,’ He said in a statement.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan urged the fact-finding body to reevaluate its decision in the name of transparency. ‘Do not test the people’s desire to know the truth,’ he warned in a post on X.
Officials and members of the Minority Bloc in the House of Representatives have also expressed objection to limiting public access to ICI investigation.
‘ICI was created to seek for truth, justice and accountability. And transparency is an essential ingredient thereof, since its purpose would be defeated if its hearings are not accessible to the public,’ complained House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima.
‘It also serves as a venue for those accused or implicated to clear their names. For the policy to come from ICI itself about the possibility of a trial by publicity, does it then mean that it cannot trust itself that it can handle such types of investigation?’ she asked.
‘This is very disappointing and frustrating – a body with limited powers to investigate anomalous flood control projects and which is merely a recommendatory board, is not fully accessible to the public,’ the former senator and justice secretary said.
Minority House members Marcelino Libanan (4Ps party-list) and Perci Cendaña of Akbayan party-list also voiced objection to ICI’s decision.
‘There’s no real accountability without transparency. Let the people in. The people have all the right to watch the ICI proceedings precisely because the funds that were stolen were the taxes that they have paid religiously,’ Libanan said.
‘To begin with, the corruption took place because the process was not transparent in the first place – from the bicameral conference committee up to the project implementation stage. And now, even the investigation itself does not have any transparency at all?’ Cendaña pointed out.