Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) Chairman and former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr. on Thursday declared that the nation is “enraged, hurt, and betrayed,” emphasizing the need to form a powerful multi-agency task force to recover billions of pesos allegedly stolen from anomalous flood control projects.

Top officials from over a dozen government agencies were told by Reyes during a high-level meeting that prosecuting the guilty is not enough, saying the country’s true healing depends on restitution — the recovery of public money that had been plundered and diverted to finance lavish lifestyles.

“Money that should have been utilized to better the lives of Filipinos was instead used by corrupt individuals to feed their greed,” Reyes said in his opening address. “The Filipinos have now been awakened and are watching.”

Representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Commission on Audit (COA), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), among others, attended the meeting that marked the formal launch of a coordinated government drive to trace, seize, and recover assets acquired through fraudulent flood control contracts.

Reyes said the initiative signals a shift in the government’s response to the scandal — from mere investigation to aggressive asset recovery.

“We are here to band together and pool our resources,” he said. “Our goal is to go after and recover the assets of these criminals. These assets were purchased using public funds. They belong to the Filipino people.”

Reyes defined restitution as “the act of making good or giving equivalent for any loss, damage, or injury,” explaining that every peso recovered represents an opportunity restored — funds that could have been used to build schools, hospitals, and roads.

The commission’s investigation into the flood control projects, described as one of the largest corruption probes in recent history, reportedly uncovered massive fund diversions, ghost contracts, and overpriced procurements involving billions in public works allocations. The scandal has drawn outrage after revelations that some officials allegedly used the diverted funds to buy exotic cars, go on luxury vacations abroad, and gamble in casinos.

“The country is in a state of crisis, fueled by public rage, hurt, and betrayal,” Reyes said, echoing the growing clamor for accountability. “Let us work together. Let us recover what was stolen. Only then can our nation truly heal.”

The multi-agency task force — combining the legal, investigative, and financial intelligence powers of its member institutions — will operate under ICI coordination.

The AMLC and SEC are expected to spearhead the tracing of illicit financial flows, while the BIR and COA will provide forensic audit support to identify undeclared assets and irregular transactions. The OSG and DOJ will lead the filing of civil forfeiture and criminal cases once the assets are located.

Reyes said the partnership embodies a united front against corruption, built on the shared recognition that plundered public wealth must be returned to the people.

“This is not only about punishment,” he said. “This is about justice and healing — about giving back what was taken from our citizens.”

The ICI said follow-up coordination meetings with the participating agencies will begin next week to finalize the operational framework and timeline for the recovery campaign.

Reyes said, “This is a historic moment. The Filipino people are watching, and this time, we cannot afford to fail.”