Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to fund the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) but said that a law is still needed to guarantee that it can pursue corruption cases in the country independently.

Cayetano said that a law making the body to be “bulletproof” and truly independent is necessary.

“We have to find a way that the investigation can proceed faster, the filing of cases will be faster and we will not be distracted,” Cayetano said.

“The problem with the ICI is that they admitted that they lack the power. They are also getting blamed over the direction of their probe,” he said.

President Marcos earlier gave assurance that the government is “committed to make sure that they can fund their investigation,” following reports that the ICI has yet to receive an approved budget from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

But Cayetano said that while the administration’s funding pledge is a good start, financial support alone is not enough.

He said Congress should pass the proposed law authored by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, which seeks to institutionalize the ICI as a permanent, non-partisan anti-corruption body with broader powers.

“We need to be focused. The law must make it faster, focused, and truly independent,” he reiterated.

Moreover, Cayetano said the ICI needs broader representation, and suggested the inclusion of opposition and faith-based members to ensure independence.

At the same time, the ICI shoud also be granted contempt powers to compel cooperation during investigations while still respecting constitutional rights.