In Photo: Former PNP Chief Rodolfo Azurin, of the Independent Commission for Infrastructures (ICI), answers questions from media after inspecting a flood control project along the Davao River. With him is DPWH Undersecretary Arthur Bisnar and Baguio City Benjamin Magalong.
- Magalong presence stirs curiosity
- DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon in Cebu City
Davao City – The Independent Commission on Infrastructure is in Davao City in search for ghost and substandard flood control projects. The ICI team is composed of ICI Special Adviser Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., DPWH Undersecretary Arthur Biznar, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong who had resigned from ICI last September26.
The ICI arrived here at the height of massive floods in different parts of Cebu which, as of this writing, inundated hundreds of populated communities many of which are still under water and thousands of residents need to be rescued.
The probe team inspected first the Road Slope Protection Structure and Improvement of Critical Intersections Project, which includes the installation of rockfall netting at Junction Shrine Hills along the Davao City Diversion Road. The project had been there for several decades following instances of erosion. It predates Duterte as Mayor of Davao City.
ICI also inspected is a small damaged portion at the Davao River Dike in Matina Gravahan, Davao City. This was however reported by GMA TV as something of grave concern.
Conspicuously missing in the ICI inspection team was DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon who, at the time of the ICI inspection in Davao City, was actually in Cebu doing the rounds of inspection of damaged infrastructures. Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said that the province had an allocation of ₱26.6-billion for flood control projects.
The presence of ICI in Davao City did not matter to the local government officials and residents except to say that it is part of the plot to discredit the Duterte leadership. They are however curious why Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong is with the team despite having resigned from the ICI. It raises more curiosity than concerns of the presence of ICI. Local broadcast journalists humorously asked whether they were just seeing a ghost who looks like Magalong knowing that the Baguio City Mayor had reigned.
