MANILA — Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent a House bill that would grant more powers to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is investigating alleged corruption in flood control and other government projects.

This comes amid reports that at least one member of the commission is contemplating resignation due to dissatisfaction with the body’s limited authority.

De Lima, along with 10 other House members—including Akbayan Partylist Reps. Percival “Perci” Cendaña and Manuel “Chel” Diokno—earlier filed House Bill (HB) 4453, which authorizes the ICI to exercise “full subpoena and contempt powers” and mandates the body to make its proceedings public.

She pointed out that Marcos’ Executive Order 94, which created the ICI to conduct an independent inquiry into alleged corruption in government projects, lacks the power to hold individuals in contempt.

EO 94, signed by the president on Sept. 11, tasks the commission with investigating not only corruption in flood-control projects but also all national government infrastructure works from the past 10 years.

“The ICI really needs more powers and more transparency,” De Lima said.

Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice, in a privilege speech on Monday, said a member of the ICI was planning to resign and was “losing hope” due to the body’s limited authority. Erice said he had personally spoken to the ICI member.

“I spoke to a member of the ICI, who is losing hope and will resign because of their lack of power, especially since our citizens will lose trust,” said Erice.

“He said that, without contempt powers, we might as well task the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] and the Ombudsman to do the investigation,” the Caloocan lawmaker added.

Various groups and personalities have also called for granting more powers to the ICI.

Major business groups in the country have jointly called for the “granting of full authority to the ICI so that the body could expose corruption and the misuse of public funds intended for flood control projects, and push reforms.”

“This body must be granted full authority to expose wrongdoing, recommend prosecution, and push systemic reforms. It must ferret out the truth without fear or favor,” said the business groups comprising the “Leaders’ Forum,” which includes the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport), and the largest trade unions—Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP), and Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa.

HB 4453, backed by House minority lawmakers, proposes the enactment of the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption Act of 2025.

Under this bill, the ICI’s subpoena power would extend to all branches of government, including constitutionally created bodies, as well as private companies and individuals.

It also grants the commission full and unrestricted access to all government records.

The bill likewise empowers the ICI to cite in contempt individuals who fail to comply with subpoenas issued by the body.

Additionally, under HB 4453, the ICI cannot be subject to a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction by any court, except the Supreme Court.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto also filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 1215, or the ”Infrastructure Anomalies Investigation Act of 2025,” which would create the Independent People’s Commission (IPC) tasked with investigating anomalies in all government infrastructure projects.

According to the bill, the IPC shall have the following powers, among others:

• To issue subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents, records, and other evidence
• To have full and unrestricted access to all government records, including but not limited to contracts, bidding documents, financial reports, audit reports, and official correspondences related to the projects under investigation

Meanwhile, the ICI has denied claims that one of its members is planning to resign or is losing hope over the commission’s limited authority.

“It’s not true that there is a member of ICI who wants to resign. ICI is united and they continue to investigate according to their mandate,” ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka said.

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