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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bill to strengthen ICI needs careful review—Palace

Bill to strengthen ICI needs careful review—Palace

Published Nov 4, 2025 04:35 pm
PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro (Mark Balmores)
PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro (Mark Balmores)
Malacañang believes the proposal to institutionalize the Independent Commission for Infrastructures (ICI) must be carefully studied to avoid redundancy of functions among existing government agencies.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said former Solicitor General (SolGen) Florin Hilbay "has a point" in saying that there is no need to pass another law to strengthen the ICI.
"Doon po siguro sa sinasabi niya na hindi kakailanganin pa ng batas to create another independent commission to investigate the anomalous flood control projects, may punto po si former SolGen Hilbay (Regarding what he said that there may be no need for a law to create another independent commission to investigate the anomalous flood control projects, former Solicitor General Hilbay has a point)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Castro, however, emphasized that the proposal must be studied carefully.
"Ito’y aaraling mabuti at kung ito’y maipapasa naman nila sa batas, wala naman pong magagawa ang Pangulo diyan dahil iyan naman po ang trabaho ng mga mambabatas natin, magpasa ng batas (It will be carefully studied, and if it is passed into law, the President cannot do anything about it because it is the job of our legislators to enact laws)," she said.
The Palace official cited that even during the creation of the ICI through Executive Order No. 94, questions about whether its functions would overlap with those of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ) were raised.
However, Castro stressed that from the President’s perspective, the commission is necessary to help gather documents and expedite the investigations being conducted by the DOJ and the Ombudsman.
"So, kung magki-create muli ng panibagong independent body, baka nga po magkaroon na lang ng redundancy at may punto po siya sa ganoong mensahe (So, if another independent body were to be created, it might indeed result in redundancy, and Hilbay has a valid point in that regard)," the Palace official said.

Related Tags

President Marcos Claire Castro ICI Florin Hilbay
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