Manila: The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Thursday convened the first meeting of the Asset Recovery-Technical Working Group (AR-TWG).

According to Philippines News Agency, the AR-TWG focused on establishing a unified framework for inter-agency coordination, data sharing, and legal processes related to the recovery of public funds and assets linked to irregular or anomalous flood control projects, the ICI stated. The group is closely coordinating to prevent overlap on investigations and to promptly address any bottlenecks that may arise in gathering documents and carrying out the necessary administrative and legal procedures, ensuring efficiency and robustness.

The ICI emphasized that recovering stolen funds and assets from anomalous infrastructure projects is not only a legal duty but also a moral responsibility for all public servants. The meeting included representatives from multiple government agencies, such as the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and several others, including the Office of the Ombudsman.

Officials reiterated that reclaiming ill-gotten wealth remains a priority. “We know that every peso stolen is a peso lost from our country, and it’s important that we all come together here and work together to recover the money that rightfully belongs to the people,” stated ICI chair Andres Reyes.