Senators renew call to pass ‘powerful’ IPC bill

Amid the resignation of Rogelio “Babes” Singson from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), several senators on Thursday once again called for the passage of the measure creating an Independent People’s Commission (IPC) that would investigate anomalies in all government infrastructure projects.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto IIII said the IPC will give the body “more power” once it is institutionalized through a law and assured that the Senate will approve the IPC bill “as fast as [they] can.”

“Syempre ang plano naman namin dito sa IPC, dapat ito may (our plan for the IPC is for it to have a) sunset provision because… it’s not going to be confined to infrastructure, it can go investigate also on agriculture, internal revenue, the NIA and all that,” he said.

“So, ang sunset namin na plano dito, ‘yun ‘yung nasa secondary reading and hopefully mapasa na hanggang 2028. Pagdating ng panibagong administrasyon, kung ano naman ang plano nila, sila naman,” Sotto added. 

(Our sunset provision plan is on the secondary reading and hopefully it will be passed until 2028. Once the new administration comes, it’s up to them what to do with it.) 

Singson, a former secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), tendered his resignation from the ICI as announced by ICI chairperson Justice Andres Reyes Jr. on Wednesday.

Reyes said Singson resigned “for health reasons and security.”

On Thursday, Singson lamented the investigating body’s lack of budget and enabling laws that would empower it in the fight against corruption in government.

He then called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass bills strengthening the powers of the ICI amid its legal limitations in its current form.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said the IPC bill may be passed into law before the year ends, if President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. certifies it as urgent. 

Pangilinan also underscored the need to pass the bill immediately, now that two officials have already left the ICI.

Earlier, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong – who previously served as ICI special adviser – also exited from the fact-finding body.

“Obviously, they need more teeth, obviously kailangan nila ng mas malawak na kapangyarihan para magawa nila ‘yung trabaho nila. Hindi biro ‘yung hinaharap nilang mga issues diba dahil napaka-controversial ng kasong ito, napaka-controversial nung eskandalong ito at kinakailangan talagang mabigyan sila ng full support,” Pangilinan said.

(Obviously, they need more teeth, obviously they need more power to do their job. What they are facing is no joke because this case, this scandal is very controversial, and they really need to be given full support.)

“And I think the IPC precisely will give them the support that they need to be able to do the job right,” he added. 

‘Not surprising’ 

Sotto added that he was not surprised by Singson’s resignation, since the work at the ICI is “very stressful.” 

“Very unforgiving, stressful, kaya I don’t blame them kung ano-ano makikita nila na nahihirapan,” the Senate President said. 

(It’s very unforgiving and stressful, that’s why I don't blame them for resigning due to the hardships they face.) 

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian believed that Singson’s exit is a significant loss for ICI. 

“He is known as a man of integrity and technical expertise in government projects. The ICI should immediately find a replacement of the same caliber to avoid losing momentum in the fight against corruption,” Gatchalian said. 

Senator Erwin Tulfo, vice chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee which has been investigating the anomalous flood control projects, said Malacañang should get another capable and credible investigator to replace Singson in the ICI. 

He also emphasized that the ICI should work on the public’s concern over the livestreaming of ICI hearings, noting that the ICI conducted executive sessions behind closed doors.

“Ang mga tao hindi happy. Parang nakukulangan sila,” Tulfo said.

(The people are not happy. It seems that they are looking for something more.) 

Meanwhile, Senator Lito Lapid hoped that the allegation that some of his colleagues were involved in the flood control scandal was not true. 

“Nalulungkot naman ako, siyempre kasamahan natin ‘yun. Sana hindi totoo,” Lapid said in an ambush interview. 

(I’m sad, of course it’s our colleagues being implicated. I hope it’s not true.) 

Earlier, the ICI asked the Ombudsman to file plunder, bribery, and corruption complaints against Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, former representatives Zaldy Co and Mitch Cajayon, and Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana, among others, over the flood control mess. They all denied the allegations. — JMA, GMA Integrated News