MANILA, Philippines – Maaaring mabuwag ang Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) kung maisasabatas ang Independent People’s Commission (IPC), ayon kay dating Senate President Franklin Drilon nitong Miyerkules, Oktubre 22.
Ang pahayag na ito ni Drilon ay matapos ang pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights para talakayin ang Senate Bill No. 1215, na naglalayong likhain ang IPC upang mag-imbestiga sa mga anomalya sa lahat ng infrastructure projects ng pamahalaan.
“Well, it (ICI) will be abolished. I mean because that (IPI) is put into law or by passing a law to support a body which is created only by an executive order. It gives a certain degree of formality rather than an executive order which can be revoked by the President at any time,” ayon kay Drilon.
Sinabi rin niya na maaaring tanggapin ng IPC ang findings at mga impormasyon na nakalap ng ICI mula sa mga imbestigasyon nito sa maanomalyang flood control projects.
“That still remains valid and I’m sure there’ll be a transitory provision in the proposed measure which will govern and provide rules as to how to handle the cases already investigated,” ani Drilon.
Sa pagdinig, nanawagan si Drilon kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na sertipikahang urgent ang SB No. 1215 sa pagsasabing ang mga tao ay galit na sa kabi-kabilang alegasyon ng korapsyon sa pamahalaan.
Iginiit din ni Drilon, dating justice secretary, na ang tungkulin ng Office of the Ombudsman at Commission on Audit ay hindi dapat ma-duplicate kundi mapalakas pa.
“This commission should not be a new body that will be perpetually funded and existent. We have enough institutions for democracy. In my view, we have to strengthen them but in the meantime, let us have this ad hoc body in order to restore the faith of our people in our justice system and mollify the people, make them believe that democracy is still the best system for our governance,” dagdag ni Drilon. RNT/JGC
