President Marcos vowed to grant sweeping powers to the independent body investigating anomalies in flood control projects, saying the inquiry must dig deep into how corruption became so entrenched in public works.

In the fourth episode of his podcast which aired on Sunday evening, Sept. 7, the President said the commission will be empowered to draw clear findings.

“Ang gusto ko talagang malaman, paano tayo umabot sa ganito (What I really want to know is how we reached this point)?,” Marcos said.

“We will give them all the powers that are necessary for them to come to a conclusion, to come to some findings, para meron naman… alam natin kung ano ’yung nangyari (so we will know what really happened),” he added.

The body, which is yet to be formalized, would be “completely separate from government,” unlike the Commission on Audit (COA) or the Office of the Ombudsman.

While Malacañang is still finalizing the executive order that would form the independent commission, President Marcos earlier said the panel will include lawyers, prosecutors, and forensic investigators who will review evidence and identify liable parties.

The planned commission came after Marcos accepted the resignation of Manuel Bonoan as Public Works secretary on Sept. 1.

Marcos earlier revealed that his inspections confirmed ghost or non-existent projects, as well as substandard works, particularly in flood control. Reports of these anomalies were also sent to the Palace through the complaints platform sumbongsapangulo.ph.

The President has repeatedly expressed outrage over what he called “garapalan” (brazen) corruption in public works, saying contractors and officials who colluded must be held to account. He has also warned of blacklisting private firms involved and pursuing cases of economic sabotage.

According to Marcos, the probe must not stop at identifying guilty parties but should also explain how systemic abuses took root.

“Ang lalim na ng problema… Ang nais ko talagang malaman, paano ba tayo umabot sa ganito (The problem runs deep… What I really want to know is how did we get here)?,” he said.

He added that actionable findings should lead to safeguards, including possible legislation and structural reforms, to prevent a repeat of the abuses in future projects.

President Marcos has ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to review the proposed 2026 budget for questionable insertions, particularly in flood control. Marcos said any duplication or irregular allocation must be deleted through errata before congressional deliberations proceed.

Palace officials have confirmed that other agencies’ budgets could also undergo a “sweeping review” if lawmakers’ concerns about anomalies in the agriculture, health, and interior departments prove valid.