Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III’s proposed Senate Bill No. 1215, which seeks to establish an Independent People’s Commission (IPC) to investigate anomalies in government infrastructure projects and beyond, has gained broad support from fellow lawmakers, former Supreme Court justices, and former Senate leaders.
Co-authored by Senators Erwin Tulfo and Risa Hontiveros, the bill aims to institutionalize a special fact-finding body empowered to probe anomalous infrastructure projects and other related irregularities, file cases before proper agencies, recommend witnesses for the Witness Protection Program (WPP), request the freezing of assets of those under investigation, allows for the immediate suspension of suspects and recommendation of hold departure orders (HDOs) to prevent flight from prosecution.
‘Because of the swift filing that I wanted, I did not realize that there were other necessities. I hope we can include provisions that ensure hearings are open to the public due to public clamor,’ Sotto said.
‘This IPC that we’d like to push for is not limited to infrastructure; it covers all sectors of government where truth and accountability must prevail,’ the Senate president added.
Sen. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, Chairperson of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, stressed that the measure is centered on truth and justice.
‘Truth delayed is justice denied,’ Pangilinan said, citing the urgency of passing the bill to address systemic corruption and restore faith in public institutions.
Former Senate President Franklin Drilon seconded the call to certify the measure as urgent, emphasizing that the country faces a level of corruption unseen in decades.
‘People’s faith in democracy’
‘I have never seen corruption in this magnitude in my 24 years,’ Drilon said. ‘It’s a culture of impunity and a failure of our justice system. We must restore the people’s faith in democracy by showing that it can still deliver justice.’
‘I join the call of the Chairman to certify this as urgent,’ Drilon added, expressing hope that SB 1215 will be passed before the start of the budget deliberations.
Former Public Works Secretary Babes Singson also expressed strong support for the measure, calling attention to the tedious legal processes that have hampered anti-corruption efforts.
‘I could not believe the magnitude of the corruption,’ Singson said. ‘Recognizing how long it takes before someone is jailed, we need stronger mechanisms, like the proposed IPC, to act swiftly, seize assets, and impose immediate penalties.’
The proposed Independent People’s Commission draws from the spirit of previous fact-finding bodies such as the Agrava and Feliciano Commissions, which were cited by Drilon, consistent with the Constitution and aimed at restoring public trust in governance.
Sotto formally called on Malacañang to certify SB 1215 as urgent, highlighting the people’s demand for swift, transparent, and decisive action against corruption.
‘This is not just about infrastructure – it’s about accountability across all levels of government,’ Sotto said. ‘We owe the Filipino people the truth, and we must act now.’