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Senate of the Philippines building in Pasay City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News.

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Independent People’s Commission bill sponsored in Senate plenary

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176295181941920140421-senate-jc-a01a8476.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Senate of the Philippines building in Pasay City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News. "/>Senate of the Philippines building in Pasay City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News. </div>MANILA — Senators on Wednesday sponsored Senate Bill 1512 for the creation of an Independent People&#x27;s Commission to investigate corruption in infrastructure projects.This is a substitute measure for SB 1215, filed by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.If created by law, the Independent People’s Commission will replace the Independent Commission on Infrastructure, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created by executive order.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/22/pangilinan-urges-marcos-jr-to-certify-independent-people-s-commission-bill-as-urgent-1554">Pangilinan urges Marcos Jr. to certify Independent People&#x27;s Commission bill as urgent</a></div>According to Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, chair of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights that led deliberations on the bill, the IPC will be granted the power to subpoena, freeze assets, cite individuals and entities in contempt, cancel professional licenses, grant witness immunity and protection, and the power to issue lookout orders, among others.Pangilinan also mentioned that the IPC will have fiscal independence.“Unprecedented ang kurakot. Unprecedented ang bunga ng krimen. Kailangan unprecedented din ang pagpapanagot,” Pangilinan said in his sponsorship speech at the Senate plenary on Wednesday.(The corruption is unprecedented, the effects of the crime are unprecedented. The mechanism for accountability should also be unprecedented)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/12/ici-zeroes-in-on-80-flood-control-projects-linked-to-firms-named-by-marcos-1606">ICI zeroes in on 80 flood control projects linked to firms named by Marcos</a></div>He said that the lives lost in recent calamities are not just because of nature but because of a &quot;man-made disaster&quot; caused by &quot;massive, systemic corruption&quot;.Pangilinan noted that IPC hearings will be public and assured that the investigation will be fair.Sotto, meanwhile, emphasized that there must be accountability.“The billion-peso budget allocated to flood-control projects should have given our people the security that no matter how hard the rain, they are safe. Much has been said about the recent flood control issue that shocked the nation. It is now the time [we take] action,” Sotto said in his co-sponsorship speech. Consideration of the bill was suspended to give senators time to study it.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/12/ici-seeks-power-to-padlock-establishments-liable-for-flood-control-infra-anomalies-0041">ICI seeks power to padlock establishments liable for flood control, infra anomalies</a></div>

Senators on Wednesday sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 1512, or an “Act creating an Independent People’s Commission to investigate anomalies in all government infrastructure projects, defining its powers and functions, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes.”

Senators on Wednesday sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 1512, or an “Act creating an Independent People’s Commission to investigate anomalies in all government infrastructure projects, defining its powers and functions, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes.”

Bill creating Independent People’s Commission sponsored in Senate plenary

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Bill creating Independent People’s Commission sponsored in Senate plenary

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 12, 2025 09:28 PM PHT

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Independent People’s Commission

IPC

ICI

Flood control projects

Kiko Pangilinan

Tito Sotto

Senate

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