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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Pinoys 'taken for a ride?': De Lima vents out on impending ICI shutdown

Pinoys 'taken for a ride?': De Lima vents out on impending ICI shutdown

Published Mar 15, 2026 09:43 am

At A Glance

  • House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima couldn't help but feel that the Filipinos were just "taken for a ride" with the impending closure of the Independent Commission for Infrstructure (ICI).
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (Ellson Quismorio /MANILA BULLETIN)
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima (Ellson Quismorio /MANILA BULLETIN)


House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima couldn't help but feel that the Filipinos were just "taken for a ride" with the impending closure of the Independent Commission for Infrstructure (ICI).
"Having a lot on its plate, President Marcos Jr. just let ICI shut down instead of acting to certify as urgent our proposed ICAIC law, which would create a more independent, more fully equipped and empowered body to take over ICI," De Lima said in an X post on Saturday night, March 14.
Created by Malacañang last year to supposedly get to the bottom of the flood control projects corruption scandal, the ICI will officially end its function by the end of the month.
De Lima and a lot of her House colleagues have criticized the ICI for its lack of subpoena powers and overall ineffectiveness, and have thus aggressively pushed for the institutionalization of an Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption or ICAIC.
"Nilatag pa bilang Independent Commission 'for Infrastructure', pero hanggang flood control lang pala ang titingnan — iilan pa nga lang ang naimbestigahan. Wala ring silbi ang ginawang livestreaming," De Lima said of ICI.
(It was even laid out as an Independent Commission 'for Infrastructure', but in reality it only looked at flood control — and only a few cases at that. The livestreaming they did was useless.)
Despite her frustrations, De Lima still implored the Marcos administration to deliver on the promise of accountability on the flood control projects mess.
"Otherwise, it is becoming clearer by the day that the public is just being taken for a ride, na paasa lang ang administrasyon sa pangako ng seryosong imbestigasyon at paanu-anunsyo pang may mga big fish na makukulong sa biggest corruption scam in our history.
(The administration is only raising false hopes with promises of serious investigation and announcements that big fish will be jailed in the biggest corruption scam in our history.)
"Hay naku (My goodness), to say that we're disappointed is an understatement," she said.
De Lima criticized the administration for its supposed non-action on the proposed ICAIC law. "Ginawang priority raw, pero wala namang nangyayari (It was supposedly made a priority, but nothing has happened)."
"Hinding-hindi natin ito dapat tantanan. Kasama ito sa sinisigaw ng taumbayan. Pagalawin niyo ang baso (We must never let this go. This is part of what the people are crying out for. Move the glass)," she further said.
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