ICI Closed Door Investigations: 'Ghost Projects", Now “Ghost Hearings” too?

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

When Brian Hosaka, Executive Director of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), declared that the hearings on alleged corruption within the DPWH would not be made public — expressing fears that livestreaming might mislead the public — the decision instantly fueled public skepticism. “It’s a very dangerous thing if we livestream it and at the same time, people might be misled. [We] want the people to trust [that] we will be doing our job fairly, objectively, and independently,” Hosaka said.

But why keep it hidden? For a public long burdened by corruption scandals, secrecy only breeds suspicion. When decisions are made away from public eyes, trust doesn’t grow — it withers.

Light and the Lamp: Why Transparency Matters

“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:15)

Transparency is the lamp. If an investigation is conducted behind closed doors, silence ceases to be golden and instead becomes the breeding ground of doubt. As the saying goes: “Keep it quiet long enough, and silence becomes suspicious.”

The ICI exists to safeguard the integrity of national infrastructure projects. Yet, its members are appointed by the President. In such a setup, it is natural for citizens to question: where does independence truly begin and political influence end? Independence is not proven by mere declarations — it is demonstrated through openness.

Transparency Is Not the Enemy of Due Process — It’s the Foundation

The ICI argues that secrecy or limited access is necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation. Protecting evidence and the process is valid. But sealing the hearings entirely from the public eye produces the opposite effect: it erodes the very trust they claim to protect.

Livestreaming or publishing proceedings, handled responsibly with redactions when necessary, does not mislead the people. On the contrary, it empowers them to see that justice is being pursued without hidden agendas. Transparency is not the adversary of fairness — it is the proof of fairness.

Practical Steps Toward Genuine Trust

Livestream public hearings — technology allows moderation of live feeds, redaction of sensitive testimonies, and safeguards for witnesses. The default must be openness, with exceptions justified.

Release redacted transcripts — publish full proceedings, with clear explanations for any redactions.

Body cams for site inspections — bring cameras during field investigations to show real conditions on the ground. Let the public see what inspectors see.

Civil society oversight — invite trusted NGOs and media partners to monitor, ensuring multiple independent records of the process.

Publish clear timelines and milestones — show the people when to expect initial findings, recommendations, and follow-ups.

Why Public Trust Is at Stake

Decades of corruption — overpriced projects, unfinished infrastructure, and outright “ghost projects” — have hardened public cynicism. When an institution like ICI chooses secrecy without strong justification, citizens are quick to assume the worst.

Trust cannot be demanded; it must be earned. The moment ICI members were appointed by the President, they were handed the chance to prove independence. They must show it by welcoming scrutiny, not avoiding it. If they truly have nothing to hide, public oversight should not be feared but embraced.

In the End: Light vs. Shadows

“What is hidden in darkness expose it in the light, God cannot be mocked what a man soweth he reapeth.”

Justice cannot thrive in shadows. Citizens are not asking for instant judgment — only the right to witness the process. Not for sensationalism, but for accountability.

In the Philippines, where faith in institutions is battered, transparency is no longer optional. It is the only way for the ICI’s findings — whether criminal, civil, or administrative — to be seen as legitimate.

As founder of Wazzup Pilipinas, I call on the ICI: open your windows. Livestream the hearings. Show the process. Prove independence not with words, but through actions visible to the people. Let the people be aware of the process and how you worked. 

For in a nation scarred by corruption, light is not a luxury. It is a necessity. And if the ICI is truly on the side of truth, then it must allow that light to shine.

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