Photo source: Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) YouTube livestream | December 3, 2025
Pasig lone district Rep. Roman Romulo on Wednesday requested a closed-door hearing before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), with his lawyer warning that the information he would disclose could endanger his life and safety.
Romulo was earlier named by contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II as one of 18 lawmakers who allegedly solicited money from his firm after it won a government project bid — an allegation the lawmaker has denied.
“I request that an executive session be conducted and that it not be released on social media or TV,” Romulo said during the live-streamed hearing after taking his oath, when asked by commissioners if he would consent to a public, livestreamed session.
ICI chair Andres Reyes Jr. immediately called for a recess before proceeding to the executive session, ending the live broadcast.
Before this, Reyes asked Romulo to explain the basis of his request, but the lawmaker deferred to his counsel, lawyer Erica Migriño.
Migriño told the commission that a private hearing was necessary because public disclosure “would potentially put the life and safety of an individual—particularly the good congressman’s life and safety—in danger.”
She added that livestreaming the session might allow the public to “malign the reputation” of Romulo or use the information in a manner that could “create an environment that would not favor an impartial deliberation.”
“Once the session is live-streamed, the good congressman would have no control on how the information will then be used by the public,” she said.
Romulo, however, agreed to make his affidavit public, saying it is a public document.
The lawmaker also told the commission that he volunteered to appear after the Department of Justice issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (Ilbo) against him in October upon the ICI’s request.
Romulo is one of 33 personalities included in the Ilbo, which alerts immigration officers to monitor — but not block — an individual’s departure from the country.
“An Ilbo was issued against me, and this ILBO is being abused and misused by many people,” Romulo said, adding that while lawyers understand the nature of an Ilbo, “if you look through social media, it is misused and abused.”
