Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

RG Cruz

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — In the wake of former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson&#x27;s resignation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, lawmakers are pressing approval of a bill for a panel with more substantial powers to probe corruption.A bill creating an Independent People&#x27;s Commission is pending second reading at the Senate after it was reported out by Sen. Francis Pangilinan, chair of the Senate Committee on Justice.&quot;Yung pag-resign ni SecBabes is, I think, all the more, dapat talagang isulong itong IPC kasi nga, siya mismo nga nagsasabi na kulang ang kapangyarihan, ang resources, ang pondo  ng ICI para magampanan yung hinihingi sa kanyang trabaho,&quot; he said.([Singson&#x27;s] resignation, I think, makes it all the more necessary to pass the IPC because he said himself that the ICI lacks the power, resources and funds to deliver what is expected of it)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/3/ici-announces-resignation-of-rogelio-singson-1507">Rogelio Singson resigns as ICI member, cites stress, age </a> </div>Pangilinan explained the ICI has a very &quot;controversial assignment&quot; and acknowledged gaps in the panel&#x27;s powers and jurisdiction. He said he is ready for interpellation on the bill and hopes to do that next week.Pangilinan said the ICI is a controversial assignment.Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who filed the proposal in August, also believes the ICI&#x27;s job is difficult.&quot;That&#x27;s why we&#x27;re giving more powers and more teeth to the IPC which will not be confined to infrastructure. It will also be able to investigate other anomalies in any other departments of operations,&quot; he said.At the House, lawmakers are also asking about progress on a similar bill that has was approved at the committee level on November 13 but has yet to reach the House plenary.<div> </div><div>COUNTERPART BILL STALLED AT THE HOUSE</div>The bill creates an Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption that will have the power to issue subpoenas, hold departure orders, order preventive suspension, and cite individuals in contempt.“Kumakalampag na po kami, both sa House leadership, and also kay Pangulo. Nasaan na po? Bakit po hindi pa in-schedule for plenary? We have barely five session days remaining. May sapat pa bang panahon?” Mamamayang Liberal Party-List Rep. Leila De Lima said.(We are calling on the House leadership and on the president. Where are you? Why hasn&#x27;t it been scheduled for plenary debate? We have barely five session days left. Is there still time?)De Lima said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. certifying passage of the bill as urgent would help it get approved, adding it is even more necessary with Singson&#x27;s departure.  “I think that&#x27;s part of the reason for his resignation. He has been waiting for this,” she stressed.Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice also believes Singson’s resignation from the ICI was prompted by the absence of a law strengthening it.He said Singson had told him that had been concerned about how much the panel could do.“&#x27;Magiging punching bag pa kami (We will just be a punching bag), without proper support&#x27;,” Erice said, quoting Singson.House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress Party said House leadership has given a commitment that the bill would be passed &quot;and will be delivered to the people.&quot;<div> </div><div>&#x27;A SETBACK, BUT NOT DEAD&#x27;</div>While acknowledging the impact of Singson&#x27;s resignation, House members said the ICI can still keep working. For Bicol Saro Party-List Rep. Terry Ridon, the resignation is a “setback” to the work of the ICI, but he does not believe that the commission is dead.“Pwede pa rin naman magtuloy ang trabaho ng ICI (The ICI can keep working). They have done good work in the last couple of months,” he said.“Tuloy-tuloy naman po, at may Ombudsman naman tayo. At katunayan, nakikita naman natin na ang ating Pangulo ay pursigido na talagang panagutin ang may mga sala. Kaya tulungan natin ang ating gobyerno,” House Deputy Majority Leader Jose “Bong” Teves Jr. of TGP party-list added.(The work will continue, and we also have the Ombudsman. And, in truth, we can see that the president is committed to hold people accountable. So, let&#x27;s help the government)“We trust and we also hope as we work on the institutionalization of the ICI, as of now, because there&#x27;s a directive from the president, so we move ahead, and try to pass &#x27;yung bigyan natin ng ngipin &#x27;yung ICI,” Mendoza said.For Erice, however, Singson&#x27;s resignation, as well as the departure of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong do not bode well for the ICI.“As far as my opinion is concerned, it&#x27;s zero credibility na,” he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/4/after-ici-exit-singson-wants-to-devote-time-helping-dpwh-dizon-1056">After ICI exit, Singson wants to devote time helping DPWH: Dizon</a></div>

In the wake of former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson's resignation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, lawmakers are pressing approval of a bill for a panel with more substantial powers to probe corruption.

In the wake of former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson's resignation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, lawmakers are pressing approval of a bill for a panel with more substantial powers to probe corruption.

Singson’s resignation prompts renewed push for bill to strengthen ICI

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Singson’s resignation prompts renewed push for bill to strengthen ICI

RG Cruz,

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 04, 2025 05:57 PM PHT

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ICI

Rogelio Singson

Senate

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