PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has named Rodolfo Azurin Jr., who served as PNP chief from August 2022 to April 2023, as special adviser and investigator of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) vice Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong who resigned over the weekend.
Azurin will assume his duties after concluding his personal and administrative arrangements, the Office of the President (OP) said in a statement yesterday.
Azurin thanked the President for his “trust and confidence.”
He also said he considers Magalong, also retired police general, as the “most capable” person to accomplish the job.
The OP said 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.”
Azurin, a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Makatao” Class of 1989, was
is the PNP’s 28th chief. He also served director of the Directorate for Comptrollership, and of the Directorate for Information and Communication Technology Management; and commander of the Area Police Command of Northern Luzon, and the Ilocos regional office.
The OP said Marcos also thanked Magalong for his service and contributions during his tenure at the ICI.
“His efforts in safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the Commission have been vital to the government’s campaign against corruption in infrastructure projects,” it said.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President respects Magalong’s decision to resign.
Former solicitor general Florin Hilbay and Law dean Mel Sta. Maria added their voice to those asking the ICI to make its hearings on public works anomalies public, saying transparency is essential for credibility and public accountability.
“If the Independent Commission on Infrastructure does not make its proceedings fully accessible to the public via livestream of its proceedings and publication of documents it receives, then it renders itself almost entirely useless,” Hilbay said.
“The people crave transparency because they know it’s best path to accountability, especially under conditions of grave mistrust. Without full transparency, the ICI is just another layer of delay,” he said.
Sta. Maria said the ICI’s decision not to livestream its hearing is “totally unacceptable.”
“The investigation must be viewed by the public,” Sta. Maria said, adding that not only are the people interested in what the evidence, documents and witnesses will show, they also worry about the investigators.
“They want to make sure that the investigators or the members of the commission themselves are trustworthy, capable, honest , and unbiased. These are all subject to proof. And the only proof is correct performance of the job. The people must witness that performance for the commission to earn a measure of true legitimacy,” he said.
At the House, Rep. Leila de Lima (PL, Mamamayang Liberal) asked the ICI to reconsider its decision.
“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,” said De Lima, a former senator and justice secretary.
“When everyone is fully engaged on the issue of corruption as revealed by the congressional hearings, here comes ICI denying what the public wants. Where is the transparency there?” she added.
On Sunday, ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka defended the commission’s decision, saying it was meant to avoid trial by publicity. — With Victor Reyes, Ashzel Hachero and Wendell Vigilia
