The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) announced on Monday that more than a dozen cases related to alleged ghost flood control projects will soon be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, amid the government’s ongoing crackdown on infrastructure-related corruption.

In a press briefer, the ICI confirmed that “at least 15 referrals to the Ombudsman [are] ready to be filed in the next 2–3 weeks.” 

These cases form part of a broader investigation into 421 suspected ghost projects implemented between 2018 and 2024, which were initially flagged during a comprehensive validation conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Meanwhile, ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said that of the 421 questionable projects, 261 are in Luzon, 109 in the Visayas, and 51 in Mindanao. 

The regions with the highest number of suspected ghost projects are Central Luzon (67), Bicol Region (49), and Eastern Visayas (45). In Mindanao, 30 projects under scrutiny are located in the Davao region.

“The number is culled from the 8,000 flood control projects from 2018 to 2024, initially validated by the armed forces, the police, the DepDev, and DPWH,” Hosaka said. 

Following case filing, the ICI plans to request an immigration lookout bulletin order and refer implicated individuals to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and the Insurance Commission (IC) for further investigation and sanctions.

Meanwhile, Department of Justice (DOJ) Officer-in-Charge Fredderick Vida called on the public to support the ongoing legal process and maintain faith in public institutions.

“The key here is the end result. In the coming weeks, we will be filing the appropriate cases in coordination with the Ombudsman and the ICI,” Vida said in mixed Filipino and English during the press briefing. 

He also emphasized the importance of adhering to due process, respecting and upholding the rule of law by allowing institutions to function properly.

“At the end of the day, we should follow the rule of law,” he said, warning that shortcuts lead to problems.