When Sandro Marcos appeared before the ICI on December 4, 2025, the public was expecting transparency. After all, the ICI itself has recently adopted a rule that hearings should be livestreamed — by default — on platforms like YouTube or Facebook. (Philstar.com)
But at the last minute, Marcos requested an “executive session.” The ICI granted it — and the public livestream was promptly halted. (DZRH News)
This isn’t a small technical hiccup or a scheduling glitch. It’s a deliberate decision — one that shuts the public out of the inquiry. In an investigation involving alleged anomalies in flood‑control and infrastructure projects, this raises serious red flags.
If the hearing is genuine and above‑board, why resort to secrecy? What is being hidden from taxpayers who deserve to know where their money is going? What ‘critical information’ needs so much protection that the public — and history — must be erased from the session?
Transparency advocates may remind the ICI of its own guidelines: livestreaming is the default. Only under exceptional circumstances may hearings be closed — and even then, the justification must be factual and legal. (Philstar.com)
But when a resource person — especially an elected official like Marcos — requests a closed session, and the commission approves it without apparent scrutiny, it undermines public trust. It invites suspicion that the session was closed not for witness‑safety or national‑security concerns — but to shield something from public view.(ads2)
What’s worse, there appears to be no recorded, publicly accessible footage showing that there was a livestream that was cut off mid‑hearing. The “shutdown” happened before meaningful proceedings could be viewed. That means no record — public or private — of what was said, who testified, or what evidence was discussed.
In short: the public is being asked to accept whatever findings emerge from ICI — without being allowed to see the proceedings themselves. That’s a dangerous precedent for accountability, especially given the gravity of the infrastructure scandals being probed.
Until the ICI or Marcos himself releases a full recording — or allows replay of the session — the public has every right to doubt what really happened that day.
Sources:
- ICI livestreaming policy: hearings will be livestreamed by default unless executive session is requested. (Philstar.com)
- Marcos requested executive session — public livestream was paused as a result. (DZRH News)
- Public and media demand for transparency & accountability from ICI. (PNA.gov.ph)
