Sotto: Senate to push back passage of IPC bill

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Wednesday admitted that the Senate will not be able to pass the bill creating the powerful Independent People’s Commission (IPC) before the Senate suspends session next week. 

In a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Sotto said the Senate will instead tackle the IPC bill on the floor in June or May.

“I’ll be very blunt to say na sa dami ng naka pending sa’min dito, ‘yung IPC, because of the two interpellators na naka pending, tapos may four interpellators sa anti-political dynasty, I doubt if we can pass it next week. I’ll be very blunt to say that we can’t,” the Senate President said.

(I’ll be very blunt to say that with the number of bills that are pending with us – the IPC has two more interpellators that are pending, while there are four interpellators in the anti-political dynasty, I doubt if we can pass it next week. I’ll be very blunt to say that we can’t.) 

“Pero pagbalik (when we return) in May, we have enough time. In May until June,” he added.

In January, Sotto said the IPC bill might be approved in the Senate by February.

In December 2025, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. urged the Congress to prioritize the passage of the proposed IPC Act.

Sotto explained that given the Senate’s lengthier interpellation process, the chamber has only passed four or five priority measures so far.

He said they aim to pass at least 80% of the 17 priority measures by June.

The proposed IPC is an independent body tasked to investigate anomalies, document, and recommend measures to address corruption, mismanagement, and negligence in the planning, procurement and implementation of public infrastructure projects.

In bills filed in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, lawmakers proposed that the IPC be authorized to issue contempt sanctions or penalties against individuals who do not comply with legal orders.

The proposed IPC will also have the authority to file complaints against officials or any government personnel who try to block investigations into corruption in government projects. — JMA, GMA Integrated News